The broom of the system

by

467 pages

English language

Published 1987 by Avon Books.

ISBN:
978-0-380-71991-4
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5 stars (1 review)

Lenore Beadsman, a 24-year-old telephone switchboard operator who gets caught in the middle of a Cleveland-based character drama. In Wallace's typically offbeat style, Lenore navigates three separate crises: her great-grandmother's escape from a nursing home, a neurotic boyfriend, and a suddenly vocal pet cockatiel. The controlling idea surrounding all of these crises is the use of words and symbols to define a person.

7 editions

reviewed Broom of the System by David Foster Wallace

Review of 'Broom of the System' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Wanted to finish this, DFW's first published work, before reading [b:The Pale King|9443405|The Pale King|David Foster Wallace|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1301009847s/9443405.jpg|6498897], his last.

Broom is funny, multi-leveled, erudite without being unreadable. Overall a brilliant work. I understand that DFW refused to incorporate several edits and later regretted that decision. Would have been interesting to see how the book would have ended up, but as published, I am very impressed.

 And no footnotes.

Subjects

  • Young women -- Fiction.
  • Popular culture -- Fiction.
  • Missing persons -- Fiction.
  • Grandmothers -- Fiction.
  • Cleveland (Ohio) -- Fiction.