[Levin]

By the way, Mike, you can try again and say DFW had plenty of real life experiences to have insight into many things, but he couldn't pull off the redemptive novel because he simply didn't have it in him. And maybe you are right that the reason he didn't have it in him was because of his depression. And I agree with you, if that's the case, that is sad. But I don't think that's the case. I just think there are few artists born with the ability to write the redemptive piece of art that changes in a fundamental way how the reader lives as a moral human being thereafter. But DFW was a good enough writer (especially in his non-fiction) to provide plenty of insight into plenty of things. You're simply jealous -- like I am.