The novel is widely noted for its unconventional narrative structure and its experimental. David foster wallaces infinite jest, is, without question, the best book i ve ever read. There are tons of characters and the point of view changes at the drop of a hat. May 25, 2016 and now, at last, we arrive at the bleeding edge of infinite jest translation.
When i was asking my friends on what i should read next, they suggested infinite jest by david foster wallace. Goodreads members who liked infinite jest also liked. Infinite jest by david foster wallace year of glad year. In terms of pages spanned, there are two main plots that are on the whole fairly disjoint. To fully understand what wallace was up to, the book bears being read, and reread, with talmudic focus and devotion. Equal parts philosophical quest and screwball comedy, infinite jest bends every rule of fiction without sacrificing for a moment its own entertainment value. 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. Feb 15, 2016 today, i turned the last page of infinite jest, around a week late for my deadline. If one of your reading resolutions is to finally finish infinite jest, david foster wallaces mammoth novel, im here to help. The title of infinite jest refers to a line from hamlet, in which hamlet describes a nowdead former court jester as having been a man of infinite jest. Four theories toward the timeless brilliance of infinite jest.
In short, if finnegans wake was a rancid fart that was proudly left to rip, infinite jest is a weak one, lacking sound and odor. Today, i turned the last page of infinite jest, around a week late for my deadline. Critic stephen burn, in his book on infinite jest, argues convincingly that y. Jan 27, 2017 just over twenty years ago, david foster wallace published his bestknown and most frustrating novel, infinite jest. An ambitious and frequently brilliant fictional exploration of the pursuit of pleasure and its ramifying consequences, by the antic author of girl with curious hair 1989, etc. When the book was first published in 1996, the audio version wasnt available and to be honest, i was having too much fun in the 90s to be reading. As a college english major, i ve read my fair share of great literature, and very few authors even approach wallaces ability to entertain, enlighten, mystify or infuriate. Wallace wrote to a friend that the fuckers cut by 600 pages from the first version.
How david foster wallaces masterpiece saved the big novel and why its not a thousandpage suicide note. You can peruse their how to read infinite jest post here. With its baroque subplots, zany political satire, morbid, cerebral humor and astonishing range of cultural references, wallaces brilliant but somewhat bloated dirigible of a second novel after the b. Infinite jest explores the idea that all humans are addicts and examines how the chosen drugs particularly entertainment of late 20th century americans eat them alive.
Certain kind of parallel lines are supposed to start converging in such a way that an end can be projected by the reader somewhere beyond the right frame. Thumb nose at pedestrians who arent carrying impressive, heavy books. Books similar to infinite jest goodreads share book. The novel infinite jest is the story of this addictive entertainment, and in particular how it affects a boston halfway house for recovering addicts and a nearby. This book is wandering, selfindulgent, overwritten, and gives ample evidence that the academics and literati are captivated by the deranged workings of a damaged mind wallace struggled with addictions and mental illness and killed himself a couple years after infinite jest was published. Infinite jest project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Tom bissell and the editor michael pietsch discuss infinite jest. But if you are seeking something other, then this book will not disappoint.
Is infinite jest a pretentious book, or does it have a. The reactions illustrated the divisive nature of the 1,076page book. A book that has shaped popular culture despite or because of its length which demands a bit of much rewarding work from the reader. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading infinite jest. Infinite jest kindle edition by wallace, david foster. Buy infinite jest 01 by foster wallace, david isbn.
Feb 04, 2016 if one of your reading resolutions is to finally finish infinite jest, david foster wallaces mammoth novel, im here to help. I said it was a joke, and that the phrase infinite jest came from. Oct 18, 2016 infinite jest explores the idea that all humans are addicts and examines how the chosen drugs particularly entertainment of late 20th century americans eat them alive. The book is drumtight and relentlessly smart and, though it does not wear its heart on its. My copy of the book is sawn in three, abused, with smudges of food across its pages, from when i couldnt stop. Find books like infinite jest from the worlds largest community of readers. Infinite jest, in other words, can be exceedingly frustrating. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Most of the action in the novel takes place in the year of the depend adult undergarment, or y. As a novel about an entertainment weaponized to enslave and destroy all who look upon it, infinite jest is the first great internet.
I remembered seeing this author in interviews and wanting to dive in this book. Infinite jest by david foster wallace, 9780316066525, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Infinite jest is the name of a movie said to be so entertaining that anyone who watches it loses all desire to do anything but watch it. Just over twenty years ago, david foster wallace published his bestknown and most frustrating novel, infinite jest. So did i, for the first two or three pages, until i saw the author didnt give a damn. Pietsch responded to the original 1,600page manuscript of infinite jest with a letter to wallace saying, its exactly the challenge and adventure i came to book publishing to find. Wallace was in the midst of writing infinite jest, and his comments to mccaffery on fiction read like a cheat sheet for the book he had going.
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. Wallace began seriously writing infinite jest in 1991. You start the book having no clue when it is happening and who the various characters are. In a sprawling, wild, superhyped magnum opus, david foster wallace fulfills the promise of his precocious novel the broom of the system.
I kind of strongly disagree with alexs post about the endnotes. Feb 26, 2016 12 if you think infinite jest at 1,100odd pages is a long book, be advised that it started longer. Its a big very big, bold, complex book that divided critics yet nevertheless landed with a thud on that list of novels everyone intends to read someday. Countless contemporary writers have been influenced by infinite jest, including jonathan franzen, zadie smith, john jeremiah sullivan, dave eggers, and ben lerner. Heres how i finally read infinite jest and how you can, too. List book on goodreads as current read, along with. As a college english major, ive read my fair share of great literature, and very few authors even approach wallaces ability to entertain, enlighten, mystify or infuriate.
David foster wallaces infinite jest, is, without question, the best book ive ever read. David foster wallace hachettesalon the genius of infinite jest. Sep 10, 2016 its been a bit of a journey on this one. Infinite jest is a cult book that became a phenomenon right from its publication day in 1996. I was talking to my roommate about infinite jest, and he asked me how it compared to illuminatus. While i cant read the book not even the end notes for you. There is stuff that happens in the opening pages that explains events at the end of the book, albeit over pages and hundreds of footnotes away. Infinite jest by david foster wallace, 9780349121086, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Catch22 and brave new world seem to have influenced wallace in writing this book. A gargantuan, mindaltering comedy about the pursuit of happiness in america.
Infinite jest by david foster wallace, first edition, signed. Unquestionably, infinite jest required great ambition and focus to write, and requires a bit of ambition and focus to read as well. I felt compelled throughout to read it aloud, such was the almost poetic quality of it. Infinite jest study guide from litcharts the creators of. Infinite jest is an extraordinary book, but it is difficult and you do have to want it. His translation should be hitting shelves in a few more years.
Equal parts philosophical quest and screwball comedy, infinite jest bends every rule of fiction, features a huge cast and multilevel narrative, and questions essential elements of american culture our entertainments, our addictions, our relationships, our. Infinite jest by david foster wallace free download. Eggerss introduction observed that infinite jest was 1,067 pages long and there is not one lazy sentence. Critic stephen burn, in his book on infinite jest, argues that y. The lack of physicality is a bummer, but i feel its vastly compensated by having access to everything id. I say this as someone with a graduate degree in english who has read a lot of difficult books. The lengthy and complex work takes place in a north american dystopia, centering on a junior tennis academy and a nearby substanceabuse recovery center.
One thing about ij is that there really isnt one coherent plot. First of all, reading a hard book does not make you cool. And now, at last, we arrive at the bleeding edge of infinite jest translation. Infinite jest is a 1996 novel by american writer david foster wallace. 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. Infinite summer blog archive how to read infinite jest. In 2006, little brown published a 10th anniversary edition of david foster wallaces infinite jest that featured a foreword by dave eggers. The beloved 1100page novel is david foster wallaces magnum opus and one of the most influential books of its time, but did you know he. The books greek translator, kostas kaltsas, who is currently in a creative writing ph. Dec, 2019 equal parts philosophical quest and screwball comedy, infinite jest bends every rule of fiction without sacrificing for a moment its own entertainment value. Infinite jest is a 1996 novel by david foster wallace. Shakespeares book of insults, insights and infinite jests by william shakespeare and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Feb 01, 1996 admittedly, infinite jest is a tough book.
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