A page from the manuscript for David Foster Wallace's unfinished novel, The Pale King

The announcement of a “new” book from the late David Foster Wallace … the discovery of “new” work from the late Roberto Bolano … “All of these reports should give one pause, it seems. Are they signs of grave-robbing, crass exploitation or honest attempts to continue the work of highly regarded writers?” asks Pittsburgh Post-Gazette books editor Bob Hoover in his newest column. He says he’s uneasy about publishing work the authors didn’t see through to completion, and notes a few significant posthumous publications of unfinished works that didn’t work out so well — such as Juneteenth by the great Ralph Ellison. “At the very least,” says Hoover, “these writings are research material for scholars and literary critics and at their worst, a bid to milk the last drop from the dead.”