InfiniteSummer

Infinite Jest | David Foster Wallace

I have read The Kreutzer Sonata, listened to a couple of hours of The Thirteenth Tale, and started the fourth Darkmouth book with my son. Now it's time to dedicate a few hours to Infinite Jest. I'm 143 pages (plus footnotes) behind my #InfiniteSummer schedule, so I have a bit of catching up to do!
#12inTwo

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Leniverse

Infinite Jest | David Foster Wallace

I may have a dedicated readathon stack for #24in48 but I can‘t skip my daily #InfiniteSummer reading. Today I spent almost two hours embroiled in footnotes, Québécois separatism, and a crazy game of Eschaton. I‘m going to miss my daily instalments when I get to the end. (Why does it have to end? ?) The last time I felt this way was when I read Middlemarch.
But now... on to something lighter for late night reading with wine.

24in48

LeahBergen It‘s a crazy ride! 7y

Leniverse @LeahBergen It really is! And I can see why people read it more than once. I half want to reread the first 100-150 pages right now because I‘ve reached parts that really inform on the beginning. 😂 So at least I‘ll have that when I‘m finished. I can do this again in a year or two. 7y

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Leniverse

Infinite Jest | David Foster Wallace

So... I have questions, and they‘re not about the plot. Surely Toblerone was available all week? I mean, I know it‘s Swiss, but..?
And characters keep watching film cartridges on teleputers. Is this something DFW made up, or some American tech fad that never made it to the rest of the world? Is cartridge just American for video tape?
#InfiniteSummer #Lostintranslation

LibrarianRyan Not read this book but I think it's made up. Maybe a combination of a tv, a computer, and a gaming system. 7y

wanderinglynn Maybe that shop runs out of Toblerones before the next shipment comes? 7y

wanderinglynn And cartridge is something I‘d associate with old, pre-CD, gaming systems. And apparently teleprinter was a 1980 invention by Michael Aldrich for a multi-functional home computer/TV/VCR. But they weren‘t a common thing (I don‘t know anyone who had one), so I think Wallace just took some liberties there. 7y

Leniverse @wanderinglynn Cool! So it‘s a real thing at least. I feel at a cultural disadvantage with this book, because DFW is clearly exaggerating some things ad absurdum, but I‘m not sure where/what the core is. 7y

Leniverse @LibrarianRyan @wanderinglynn Turns out the teleputer is made up. DFW was basically sitting there in 1995 trying to imagine what video entertainment devices would be like 10-15 years down the line. 7y

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Leniverse

Infinite Jest | David Foster Wallace

Starting the #InfiniteSummer read! Ten pages a day (plus footnotes) for three months. Love that there's a website dedicated to this: infinitesummer.org

DarcysMom What a great way to tackle IJ. It is big and intimidating. 7y

Leniverse @DarcysMom Yes, I wish there was a site like that for Ulysses as well. I‘m flailing about badly there. 😅 7y

DarcysMom My boss and I were talking about that the other day. I have never gotten more than about 30 pages in. The only way he got through it was reading it in grad school with lots of lecture and discussion. Have you tried it as an audiobook? I have heard rumors that audio makes it a little easier to get through. 7y

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Leniverse @DarcysMom I think I might find I get even less out of it as an audiobook. I don't know. Maybe it would be an idea to do both. I'd like a full cast production so it's possible to tell who says what! And I've just finished a chapter where they sing a bunch of songs I've never heard of. I want an audiobook with singing. 😂 7y

Booksnchill I did Infinite Summer in 2014 - great way to read it! 7y

Leniverse @Booksnchill I just read the "How to Read Infinite Jest" guide and if I wasn't intimidated before I definitely am now! ? Better just get my bookmarks ready and dive in. 7y

Booksnchill @leniverse I hope the language sucks you in- I was entranced! 7y

Leniverse @Booksnchill The first chapter was amazing! I‘m feeling excited about this now. 😃 7y

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