Infinite Summer

Does reading the initial section on Kate Gompert that goes into great description of what feeling depression is like give anyone else chills? I know assuming a character or narraitor is speaking about or experiencing something as the author does is a trap a reader should usually avoid, but I can't help, in this section, thinking that a lot of these feelings spring from DFW's own experience with depression. And in that light, I kind of understand why he erased his own map, as tragic as it is. The protagonist in the story "Good Ol Neon" is also suicidal, but by contrast I don't detect nearly as much of DFW's personal voice in him, so it's not like I'm just drawing a parallel based on the fact that both author and character shared a similar condition. Anyway, I found those passages incredibly poignant and difficult to get through. Anyone else have thoughts on this?

Yes, very difficult, intentional fallacies notwithstanding. But I found "Good Old Neon" more raw, more disturbing, sad sad sad sad. A brilliant story.

Yes. I found the descriptions of Kate Gompert's depression very disturbing. If I haven't experienced it myself, I've seen it in others. Excellent and chilling to say the least.