Good Old Neon Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 FYI for any and all IL residents who might be interested in attending a reading by David Foster Wallace Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EL the Famous Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 who's with me? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Edie Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 10-4 big daddy! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EL the Famous Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 10-4 big daddy! cool! i'll take off my shirt and wear jeans and a big belt buckle. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Will Cliff's Notes for Infinite Jest be provided? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EL the Famous Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Will Cliff's Notes for Infinite Jest be provided? not sure, but i'll have one of those mini-heineken kegs in the parking lot for the tailgate! see everybody for buckets of beer at kam's after the show. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mpolak21 Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 not sure, but i'll have one of those mini-heineken kegs in the parking lot for the tailgate! see everybody for buckets of beer at kam's after the show. . Yet, another time where I wish I live in Chicago. --Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dmait Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 What percentage of those who own Infinite Jest have actually read it? My guess is less than 50%. Love Convoy. A great movie from my youth. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 What percentage of those who own Infinite Jest have actually read it? My guess is less than 50%.I own it and have started it 3-4 times. I've only gotten to around p. 100. Honestly, it's the heft of the book that gets me every time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 My brother wouldn't stop raving about it around the time it came out. Only after some coaxing did he admit he only made it through about a quarter of it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mpolak21 Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 I own it and have started it 3-4 times. I've only gotten to around p. 100. Honestly, it's the heft of the book that gets me every time. When I got this summer, I tried to read about 100 pages a day, and eventually made it through the whole thing in about three weeks. It's overwhelming at times, but it's worth the effort. --Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
quarter23cd Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 I have commitment issues with that book. It was on my to-do list for the longest time, but realistically I don't see it happening. If I was ever going to read it, it would have had to be when I was younger and had an infinite amount of free time. With my current reading pace of 5 pages here, 20 pages there, I would probably be lugging the same book around with me for the next 15 years, and that is just bound to do some damage to my spine after a while. (that book weighs more than a Volkswagon!) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted March 13, 2008 Author Share Posted March 13, 2008 What percentage of those who own Infinite Jest have actually read it? My guess is less than 50%. Love Convoy. A great movie from my youth. I suspect you are correct Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 For those on the fence about reading it, Infinite Jest, really, do not be intimidated by its size or reviews you may come across that obsess over its complexity Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted March 13, 2008 Author Share Posted March 13, 2008 I'm not as concerned about it's complexity or accessibility as I am, again, with it's size. And not just because it''s a long book. I've read plenty of long books (The Brother's Karamozov and Moby Dick, etc.) and enjoyed them regardless of their size in length. Infinite Jest is physically challenging to read. To hold. It's not a book one can take into the bathroom easily. Nor lay in bed with easily. Nor sit in a chair with easily. Nor take with you on a bus ride or to the park or pool easily. It's a cumbersome tome. Also, although everyone always says how awesome the book is and "stick with it" (one of my brothers, in particular), I still have trouble liking what I read in the same 100 pages or so that I can never get past. I want to read the book, though. Maybe an audio tape would be best for me. I agree that it can be cumbersome, but, just think, reading is one of, if not the most physically passive, low activity past times out there, maybe even more so than watching television, however, given its size, reading and handling IJ gives a workout not unlike what you might receive from an hour of weight training at the gym. So, not only will your brain receive a workout, you Quote Link to post Share on other sites
quarter23cd Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 You mentioned Gravity's Rainbow--a book which is probably directly responsible for my hesitance here. I like Pynchon, too, but that book has proven to be one of the more maddening experiences of my reading career in that I will come to it and read avidly for the first few days and then I inevitably put it down for a few days and when I come back to it I'm like "Wait, WTF is going on?? I can't even remember what I just read a few days ago!" And I end up starting over and the cycle repeats itself endlessly... Somewhere on my list of things to do before I die is "Finish reading Gravity's Rainbow and Infinite Jest, dammit!" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted March 13, 2008 Author Share Posted March 13, 2008 You mentioned Gravity's Rainbow--a book which is probably directly responsible for my hesitance here. I like Pynchon, too, but that book has proven to be one of the more maddening experiences of my reading career in that I will come to it and read avidly for the first few days and then I inevitably put it down for a few days and when I come back to it I'm like "Wait, WTF is going on?? I can't even remember what I just read a few days ago!" And I end up starting over and the cycle repeats itself endlessly... Somewhere on my list of things to do before I die is "Finish reading Gravity's Rainbow and Infinite Jest, dammit!" That is exact same issue I continue to run into Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 You mentioned Gravity's Rainbow--a book which is probably directly responsible for my hesitance here. I like Pynchon, too, but that book has proven to be one of the more maddening experiences of my reading career in that I will come to it and read avidly for the first few days and then I inevitably put it down for a few days and when I come back to it I'm like "Wait, WTF is going on?? I can't even remember what I just read a few days ago!" And I end up starting over and the cycle repeats itself endlessly... Somewhere on my list of things to do before I die is "Finish reading Gravity's Rainbow and Infinite Jest, dammit!"I gave up on Gravity's Rainbow. I suspect I would do the same thing with Infinite Jest. I am not so much into novels anymore. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted March 13, 2008 Author Share Posted March 13, 2008 I gave up on Gravity's Rainbow. I suspect I would do the same thing with Infinite Jest. I am not so much into novels anymore. If you have any interest in reading Wallace, his book of essays - A Supposedly Fun Thing I Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dannygutters Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 just think, reading is one of, if not the most physically passive, low activity past times out there, maybe even more so than watching television This is false. The brain is very active when reading and in a much more passive mode when watching tv. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted March 17, 2008 Author Share Posted March 17, 2008 This is false. The brain is very active when reading and in a much more passive mode when watching tv. just think, reading is one of, if not the most physically passive, low activity past times out there, maybe even more so than watching television Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Reading often tires me out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dmait Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 >However, I am guilty of starting and stopping, and then starting and then stopping, and then starting and finally once again being defeated by Pynchon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
parrish_10 Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 If you have any interest in reading Wallace, his book of essays - A Supposedly Fun Thing I Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.