Dhedmo
11-03-2009, 04:12 AM
Has anyone here read David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest?
The novel is populated by addicted characters, and among its myriad themes and plot lines, many issues involved with addiction weave through, and perhaps ultimately consume, Wallace's 1996 book. Some of the most eloquent (and harrowing) writing on the subject I've read can be found within the covers of this book. In fact, as I read this book, I thought a lot about Opiophile. So, as I'm up late, I figure I might as well inquire whether anyone here has read it, and if so, what did you think?
At 1079 pages, over 100 of which are end notes (and yes, keeping two bookmarks is the way to go, because skipping them means, in some cases, skipping what amount to entire chapters), the sheer size of Infinite Jest is going to daunt some readers. The scope of the book, its non-linear presentation, and Wallace's vision of an alternate future all present further challenges. For example, in IJ, time has been subsidized. That is, calendar years are sponsored, in the same way that buildings and events are: New Comiskey Park is now called Phone Company Park (or something like that ;)), and college football's Sugar Bowl is now the Allstate Sugar Bowl (and was not long ago the Nokia Sugar Bowl). While most of the action in the novel takes place in what would arguably be 2009, it is known instead as the "Year of the Depend Adult Undergarment." (Other years include the Year of Glad, the Year of the Trial-Sized Dove Bar, etc.) It can drive you crazy.
Reading this book was described by John barber as "Like Nabokov, on ecstasy, while drowning a goat..."
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/like-nabokov-on-ecstasy-while-downing-a-goat/article1222655/
If you haven't read it, but are curious, here's the wiki page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinite_jest
There's even an IJ wiki:
http://infinitejest.wallacewiki.com/david-foster-wallace/index.php?title=Main_Page
Many readers chose to read the book together (virtually) this summer, and although I was pretty far into it when I discovered the site, it has a lot of interesting info and points of view:
http://infinitesummer.org/archives
And here's A Supposedly Fun Blog, peopled by participants in that project:
http://asupposedlyfunblog.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/wy-am-i-here/
There are a lot of online DFW resorurces, and if you take on this monster, you'll probably want to seek them out.
This isn't everyone's type of book. I'm one of those pointy-headed geeks who savor Ulysses, and relished William Gaddis' The Recognitions, but I'll admit, this one got to me. This spring, just shy of the 500 page mark, I had to take a break from Infinite Jest, worn down by all the suicides (the author hanged himself in 2008) and ultraviolence and all the fucking tennis; I was just plain irritated with people checking into NA with "pot addiction" (no offense to anyone for whom this is a real problem). I needed a rest...so I read something like 80 Agatha Christie books (also not everyone's cup of tea, I'm sure) over about two and a half months. LOL. No lie. But, I came back refreshed, and pounded through to the end--which meant re-reading the first 17 pages (you'll understand if you read it). I'm glad I did. It really is a magnificient novel. Flawed, overlong, sure. But nevertheless, a really fine novel. (And, even though it could have benefitted from some cuts, the writing is so good that, if the cuts couldn't be used elsewhere as short stories or essays, I'd rather skip the cuts entirely.)
Just a note, if this is one of those books you bought when it came out but just never got around to reading: While first edition of the hardcover is worth hundreds of dollars, if that's the version you have you'll want to buy or borrow a later edition, as Wallace made numerous corrections for the first trade pb edition.
If you've read the book, I'd love to know what you thought about it. If you haven't, but decide to, I wish you good luck and happy reading! Beware the howling fantods...
Peace,
Dhedmo
The novel is populated by addicted characters, and among its myriad themes and plot lines, many issues involved with addiction weave through, and perhaps ultimately consume, Wallace's 1996 book. Some of the most eloquent (and harrowing) writing on the subject I've read can be found within the covers of this book. In fact, as I read this book, I thought a lot about Opiophile. So, as I'm up late, I figure I might as well inquire whether anyone here has read it, and if so, what did you think?
At 1079 pages, over 100 of which are end notes (and yes, keeping two bookmarks is the way to go, because skipping them means, in some cases, skipping what amount to entire chapters), the sheer size of Infinite Jest is going to daunt some readers. The scope of the book, its non-linear presentation, and Wallace's vision of an alternate future all present further challenges. For example, in IJ, time has been subsidized. That is, calendar years are sponsored, in the same way that buildings and events are: New Comiskey Park is now called Phone Company Park (or something like that ;)), and college football's Sugar Bowl is now the Allstate Sugar Bowl (and was not long ago the Nokia Sugar Bowl). While most of the action in the novel takes place in what would arguably be 2009, it is known instead as the "Year of the Depend Adult Undergarment." (Other years include the Year of Glad, the Year of the Trial-Sized Dove Bar, etc.) It can drive you crazy.
Reading this book was described by John barber as "Like Nabokov, on ecstasy, while drowning a goat..."
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/like-nabokov-on-ecstasy-while-downing-a-goat/article1222655/
If you haven't read it, but are curious, here's the wiki page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinite_jest
There's even an IJ wiki:
http://infinitejest.wallacewiki.com/david-foster-wallace/index.php?title=Main_Page
Many readers chose to read the book together (virtually) this summer, and although I was pretty far into it when I discovered the site, it has a lot of interesting info and points of view:
http://infinitesummer.org/archives
And here's A Supposedly Fun Blog, peopled by participants in that project:
http://asupposedlyfunblog.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/wy-am-i-here/
There are a lot of online DFW resorurces, and if you take on this monster, you'll probably want to seek them out.
This isn't everyone's type of book. I'm one of those pointy-headed geeks who savor Ulysses, and relished William Gaddis' The Recognitions, but I'll admit, this one got to me. This spring, just shy of the 500 page mark, I had to take a break from Infinite Jest, worn down by all the suicides (the author hanged himself in 2008) and ultraviolence and all the fucking tennis; I was just plain irritated with people checking into NA with "pot addiction" (no offense to anyone for whom this is a real problem). I needed a rest...so I read something like 80 Agatha Christie books (also not everyone's cup of tea, I'm sure) over about two and a half months. LOL. No lie. But, I came back refreshed, and pounded through to the end--which meant re-reading the first 17 pages (you'll understand if you read it). I'm glad I did. It really is a magnificient novel. Flawed, overlong, sure. But nevertheless, a really fine novel. (And, even though it could have benefitted from some cuts, the writing is so good that, if the cuts couldn't be used elsewhere as short stories or essays, I'd rather skip the cuts entirely.)
Just a note, if this is one of those books you bought when it came out but just never got around to reading: While first edition of the hardcover is worth hundreds of dollars, if that's the version you have you'll want to buy or borrow a later edition, as Wallace made numerous corrections for the first trade pb edition.
If you've read the book, I'd love to know what you thought about it. If you haven't, but decide to, I wish you good luck and happy reading! Beware the howling fantods...
Peace,
Dhedmo