Wittgenstein's Mistress

Paperback, 248 pages

English language

Published March 1, 2006 by Dalkey Archive Press.

ISBN:
978-1-56478-211-3
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4 stars (11 reviews)

3 editions

Review of "Wittgenstein's Mistress" on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

I wish sometimes that I could leave, say, "Notes" on a book, rather than Writing a Review. There is a lot to say about this book, but I'm not going to say most of it.

If the idea of a book that is just one long run without any chapter or even section breaks, of short paragraphs typed on a typewriter, by apparently the only person apparently left on Earth, writing rather stream-of-consciousness to herself (sort of), if that idea seems weird, you should perhaps not read this. If it seems attractive, perhaps you should.

This edition has a long sprawling Afterward by a between finishing the story and reading the appendage. But here we are.

Wallace certainly reads a lot more direct and intentional allusions to Wittgenstein into the book than I do (the book mentions him, and all sorts of other people, constantly, but more to speculate on …

Review of "Wittgenstein's Mistress" on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

This was a challenging and inspiring read. It's been a while since a novel made me look up so many cultural references. Reading Wittgenstein's Mistress was partly like solving a riddle and like looking at a brilliant piece of art that brings together fascinating thoughts and gives them a new shape that is more than the sum of these parts. This novel IS this piece of art. It's the best brain food I've read in ages. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is that I didn't get emotionally hooked to it, it was hard work sometimes. But maybe that's not really important. Also: it's pretty rare to read a book from a female character's perspective written by a man without stumbling over gender stereotypes. Another strength of this novel...

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Subjects

  • General & Literary Fiction
  • Literary
  • Fiction
  • Literature - Classics / Criticism