Infinite jest is a cult book that became a phenomenon right from its publication day in 1996. Find books like infinite jest from the worlds largest community of readers. In a manner both reminiscent and imitative of thomas pynchons gravitys rainbow 1973, wallace traces the sometimes connected fortunes of two dozen or so addicted and obsessed souls variously involved with. A gargantuan, mindaltering comedy about the pursuit of happiness in america set in an addicts halfway house and a tennis academy, and featuring the most endearingly screwedup family to come along in recent fiction, infinite jest explores essential questions about what entertainment is and why it has come to so dominate our lives. Goodreads members who liked infinite jest also liked.
Is there no ending to infinite book because there couldnt be. Jul 31, 2009 there have been some interesting infinite summer posts about whether infinite jest counts as science fictionsee, for instance, these two at infinite tasks and this from chris forsterso i thought it might be interesting to run through some of my standard classroom definitions of science fiction and see how the book shapes up. Eggerss introduction observed that infinite jest was 1,067 pages long and there is not one lazy sentence. Books similar to david foster wallaces infinite jest. I know that infinite jest isnt about drugs to reduce it to that would be insulting but nevertheless, i read these books around the same time, and found they both have really interesting things to say about drugs and addiction in modern society so if you liked ij, tome fellings book might be worth a look. The aim of the series is to give readers accessible and informative introductions to some of the most. Are there any other books i could read like infinite jest. I did find it a bit of a slog for the first 100 pages, but once i learned to trust that the author would fill in the blanks for me over time, everything became awesome. Its a breathless and elliptical colossus of a book. One year i opted to just reread fahrenheit 451 each month. Aaron baughman, im studying statistics at james madison university, and i like to explore ideas. I wish dfw were still here to break it down and distill the current moment, though ij prophesizes.
Equal parts philosophical quest and screwball comedy, infinite jest bends every rule of fiction without sacrificing for a moment its own entertainment value. Literary troll has talked about nothing but inifnite jest. Not too many people write thousandpagers, much less read them. Infinite jest, by david foster wallace, is one of the few books that has defeated me. Beyond the ease with which one can lookup footnotes, consider the following. Infinite jest is both sad, depressed and funny and even 25 years after it was published in 1994 remains relevant to the modern age. May 09, 2005 i have three helpers to infinite jest, each purchased at different readings of the great novel. Infinite jest has been listed as one of the top 100 all time greatest novels of 19232006. Mar 08, 2016 the first chapter of infinite jest is one of the best examples ive read in recent years. In the 19 years since it was published, david foster wallaces infinite jest has gained the sort of cult status that a struggling novelist would kill for. Infinite jest by david foster wallace turns 20 today, and im still confused by it all these years later. Why i cannot recommend the infinite jest audio book infinite jest i guess this is a first for me and ill get straight to the point.
Stephen kings the stand uncut edition and george r. David foster wallaces 1996 novel infinite jest poses rhetorical, formal, and verbal challenges that will confound many readers new to the text. In the three hundredish page range i found some passages that made me think about our. In an instant of sudden clarity i realized he was right, that they were basically the same book the same fractally complex narrative of broken meandering plots about an endlesslyawaited but never arriving apocalypse. Buy infinite jest book online at low prices in india. The novels most crucial event, for instance, is only referenced on page 17 and page 934.
I acquired it in the days before my tbr pile became a mountain having noted its recurring presence on the many best books lists that appear on line. Martins storm of swords are longer this, but i was able to clear those books much quicker than david foster wallaces second novel. Feb 26, 2016 12 if you think infinite jest at 1,100odd pages is a long book, be advised that it started longer. Apr 12, 2012 why i cannot recommend the infinite jest audio book infinite jest i guess this is a first for me and ill get straight to the point. Im an aspiring writer currently consuming infinite jest. I was in france at the time, and when i got back to the u. Infinite jest is notoriously known for being a long book its just shy of 1100 pages. It is an exuberant,uniquely american exploration of the passions that make us humanand one of those rare books that renew the idea of what a novel can do.
At the macro level, infinite jest consists of numerous anticonfluential wallaces word episodes set a dozen years or so in the future as was the broom, at a time when numerical designations for years have been sold to corporate sponsors. Infinite jest has a reputation for being one of those books that everyone starts and no one finishes. Really enjoy those books, you voracious reader, you. Feb 15, 2016 reading infinite jest 20 years on books podcast.
Heres how i finally read infinite jest and how you can, too. Infinite jest as infinite jest a supposedly fun blog. Why i cannot recommend the infinite jest audio book. Jul 06, 2015 david foster wallaces 1996 novel infinite jest poses rhetorical, formal, and verbal challenges that will confound many readers new to the text. Its just a totally brilliant, dense, super fun and insightful novel. In fact, its take on the very nature of entertainment itself perhaps foresaw the age of vanity and social media, as seen through the prisms of tinder, facebook, twitter and instagram. It is an exuberant,uniquely american exploration of the passions that make us humanand one of those rare books that. Wallace deals language like a mad, drunk croupier, mixing the books hyperdetailed narratives with film script dialogue, lists, stream. Infinite summer blog archive how to read infinite jest.
I have three helpers to infinite jest, each purchased at different readings of the great novel. Apr, 2009 a gargantuan, mindaltering comedy about the pursuit of happiness in america set in an addicts halfway house and a tennis academy, and featuring the most endearingly screwedup family to come along in recent fiction, infinite jest explores essential questions about what entertainment is and why it has come to so dominate our lives. When i finished, i finally felt like i was ready to start. The length of infinite jest should not be an obstacle to finding pleasure in it. Once you start connecting the whole thing together, youll want to read it over and over its a lot like the entertainment other books that are lighter but somewhat similar. I think what you say about infinite summer is quite interesting. The first chapter of infinite jest is one of the best examples ive read in recent years. George saunders civilwarland in bad decline, neal stephenson snow crash.
Steven asin infinite jest is the perfect book for the kindle paperwhite. Burn david foster wallaces infinite jest similar books. Wallace began infinite jest, or something like it, at various times between 1986 and 1989. It was so soothing, and i loved the release of not having to feel like i was constrained to read a lot of. His intellect is beyond beyond, but wallaces heart and instinct burn just as brightly. And the bouncing backandforth is a feature, not a bug. They are both long and have many characters but that is where the similarities end, thus these books might fit the bill for one more than the other. By my estimation infinite jest and 2666 have more differences between them than similarities. Ive seldom been more engrossed in a novel, and more willing to put in the time of. I began reading infinite jest by david foster wallace around october 2008. Feb 07, 2016 infinite jest, in other words, can be exceedingly frustrating. The book is drumtight and relentlessly smart and, though it does not wear its heart on its. Infinite jest by david foster wallace librarything.
I was talking to my roommate about infinite jest, and he asked me how it compared to illuminatus. It has been categorized as an encyclopedic novel and made time magazines list of the 100 best englishlanguage novels published between 1923 and 2005. If you like infinite jest you might like similar books consider the lobster and other essays, the pale king, white noise, a supposedly fun thing ill never do again. Infinite jest by david foster wallace overdrive rakuten. Each one has good material, but for an overall or first read of the book, i. Infinite jest by foster wallace, david and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Infinite jest, in other words, can be exceedingly frustrating. Wallace wrote to a friend that the fuckers cut by 600 pages from the first version. In fact, having to take such a long time reading the book makes it even more satisfying when you finish it. They are not boring bibliographic details, but rather an integral part of the text. I had ordered the book from after hearing of david foster wallaces death. Also, on a certain level, it is very grim and sad and honest and has a message that just becomes more and more relevant. I cant recommend the purchase of the what at first appears to be the amazing ive heard good things about the audio. If infinite jest the novel not the text but the relevant literary objects the text leaves unstated is, like its cinematic counterpart, the brainchild of jim incandenza, jim could be understood as analogous to wallace, and the novel as a totalitarian creation of a barthesian authorgod or two of them. I love its sincerity, it never feels like wallace is fucking with me. The novel is widely noted for its unconventional narrative structure and its experimental use of endnotes there are 388 endnotes, some with footnotes of their own. To fully understand what wallace was up to, the book bears being read, and reread, with talmudic focus and devotion. There have been some interesting infinite summer posts about whether infinite jest counts as science fictionsee, for instance, these two at infinite tasks and this from chris forsterso i thought it might be interesting to run through some of my standard classroom definitions of science fiction and see how the book shapes up.
The abundance of or excess of guides and commentaries on the novel can perhaps have the adverse and unintentional consequence of making readers new to infinite jest believe that they cant get it without help. Having only read the first extremely exhausting chapter, i cant tell you whether i would feel this way after two or more. Im seeking recommendations for books, essays, and really anything else games, films, etc. When i hear things like, only for the most patient or be prepared to spend a lot of time, i wonder what sort of readers these people are. A brief note to readers new to infinite jest and a very. A study of david foster wallaces infinite jest, and david foster wallaces infinite jest. A book that has shaped popular culture despite or because of its length which demands a bit of much rewarding work from the reader. I read about guy montag, linebyline, 12 straight times. It is an exuberant, uniquely american exploration of the passions that make us human and one of those rare books that renew the idea of what a novel can do. Im still trying to make sense of infinite jest io9. When i hear things like, only for the most patient or be prepared to spend a lot of time. Some readers have found it useful to rip the book in half for easier reading on the subway or on the beach.
This is part of a new series of guides to contemporary novels. A study of david foster wallaces infinite jest and an instructor of theater at morehead state university when my friend brian handed me a supposedly fun thing ill never do again and told me i had to read it, i immediately recognized the name of the author whose story the depressed person was featured in harpers magazine. Infinite jest is a 1996 novel by american writer david foster wallace. Apr 09, 2009 i began reading infinite jest by david foster wallace around october 2008. I know that infinite jest isnt about drugs to reduce it to that would be insulting but nevertheless, i read these books around the same time, and found they both have really interesting things to say about drugs and addiction in modern society so. In 2006, little brown published a 10th anniversary edition of david foster wallaces infinite jest that featured a foreword by dave eggers. Dec 19, 2016 infinite jest is notoriously known for being a long book its just shy of 1100 pages. It is an exuberant, uniquely american exploration of the passions that make us human and one of those rare books that renew the.
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