Infinite Jest - the last laugh

you get used to them, is what I mean

Infinite Jest Introduction Wallace's fictional narrative Infinite Jest is an epic approach to the solicitous and addictive nature of humanity. The novel's diverse characters demonstrate both individually and collectively the fixations and obsessions that bind humanity to the pitfalls of reality and provide a fertile groundwork for the semiotic explanation of addictive behavior. Although Wallace may have actualized the concept of the "addicted gaze" to the literal or physical response to the viewing of Incandenza's coveted film the Entertainment [Infinite Jest], it is manifested symbolically throughout the novel in the distractions of its characters. Nihilism It would appear that Wall...

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But I guess plenty of people are bugged by it, so ... I dunno, there's a section within the first 20-40 pages that endlessly details the thought process of a person waiting for some weed to be delivered to him. I'd guess that's a good test: if you spend that whole section chafing, the book might bother you. If you're content to just coast along and be entertained by the content of that section itself, there's a good chance you'll enjoy it all. (And if you happen to enjoy just immersing yourself in something like that, Infinite Jest offers something shorter books obviously don't, which is the chance to spend a really long time immersed in one very large book-world!)

Nabisco, despite what you said over on the punk thread, I don't always hate it when you post! This is exactly right, especially the "immersion" part. The book is a complete and total immersion into a world, or book-world, and it is one of the reasons that I suggest this book to people. It does it in a way that few other books even come close to.

And Wallace's appallingly narcissistic infatuation with his own genius. He's writing an endless ode to the wonder-brain. At first it's dizzying, dazzling. You buy into it, bask in it, and it sucks you along. You feel brilliant, too, by association. Or at lest it's easy to be charmed by such prodigious intelligence. But after a while, Wallace's fascination with his own amazing thought-world becomes tedious, circular and (ultimately) insulting.

Didn't do much for me. What happened to the guy who wrote "Westward the Course of Empire Takes its Way"?

Really, Adam: "the sentences are all nice." Please.

Anyway, I dug "Westward" because I thought it was honest. An attempt to deal with fallout of ironic, reflexive awareness. Once you're lost in the funhouse, how do you connect with and express authentic emotion? I liked it because I felt there was more to the story than its games and ideas.

Didn't get anything like that from IJ. Come on, we all like different sorts of things. Why should it surprise or bother you that I didn't like yr. fave book? I mean, lots of folks apparently did...

There was something about reading about addiction that made me anxious and self-loathing. Both times I've tried reading the book I've stopped at around page 100.

the waiting for weed part actually played a big part in me quitting smoking ganj actually. it seemed so loathesome after that.

i almost quit DFW after brief interviews that seemed like a mean, horrid parody of himself but i liked oblivion and lobster so i guess i'm back on board...also the roger federer fanboy thing he did in NY Times was great as well, but i'm a tennis dork.