A short story tackling the ways irony has led to a growing sense of alienation in American culture is next on tap in West Texas A&M University’s Great Books Series.

Dr. Ryan Brooks, assistant professor of English in WT’s Department of English, Philosophy and Modern Languages, will lead the discussion of David Foster Wallace’s “Good Old Neon,” from his collection “Oblivion.”

“Wallace argued that postmodern irony had been co-opted by TV advertisers and was serving to isolate and divide viewers, contributing to a loss of community in American life,” Brooks said. “This created new challenges for American fiction writers who were influenced by postmodernism but who did not want to contribute to this growing cynicism and alienation. ‘Good Old Neon’ exemplifies how he grappled with these issues in his own fiction, in a way that forces the reader to confront these problems as well.”

The story also explicitly deals with depression and suicide, Brooks said.

“This has taken on an unavoidable new level of meaning after Wallace's own suicide in 2008, especially since so much of the story can be read as autobiographical,” Brooks said. “This will bring up other points of discussion as well, like the question of how we should think about the relationship between the artist and their art.”

The discussion series — sponsored by the Department of English, Philosophy and Modern Languages — is open to those who either have or haven’t read the book, said organizer Dr. Daniel Bloom, associate professor of philosophy.

“Everyone is welcome,” Bloom said. “Typically we begin with an introduction of the text from the presenter and then the meeting turns into a group discussion. Each meeting is different, depending on the text we discuss and the interests of the audience.”

WT professors and guest lecturers lead the monthly discussions.

The series began in 2011 and is traditionally held in person on the second Tuesday of the month at Burrowing Owl Books, 7406 S.W. 34th Ave., Suite 2B, in Amarillo. It shifted to Zoom during the Covid-19 pandemic; a return to in-person meetings is expected to occur in 2021.

Previous discussions have featured Plato’s “Republic,” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Olalla,” Jorge Luis Borges’ “El Sur” and more.

To register for the August discussion, email Bloom at dbloom@wtamu.edu.

The series is one way in which WT serves the region by offering engagement with a variety of literary and philosophical texts. Being a learner-centered university is a key principle of the University’s long-term plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

-West Texas A&M University