The Pale King

novel by Wallace

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Last updated

July 20, 2026

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The Pale King is an unfinished novel by American author David Foster Wallace, published posthumously in 2011. The novel is set in an Internal Revenue Service office in Peoria, Illinois, during the late 20th century. Its central theme is boredom, exploring it as a potential path to bliss and an alternative to the overstimulation prevalent in modern culture. The book was assembled by Wallace's editor, Michael Pietsch, from the author's extensive notes and drafts.1

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David Foster Wallace
Death and posthumous works
…after Wallace’s death, another novel, The Pale King (2011), which the author had left unfinished, was released. The book was assembled by Michael Pietsch, who had long been Wallace’s editor. It is set in an Internal Revenue Service office in Peoria, Illinois, during the late 20th century. Most of its…
Read More
…after Wallace’s death, another novel, The Pale King (2011), which the author had left unfinished, was released. The book was assembled by Michael Pietsch, who had long been Wallace’s editor. It is set in an Internal Revenue Service office in Peoria, Illinois, during the late 20th century. Most of its…
Read More