Comments on: Infinite Jest & Me

By: basilbias

basilbias — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:04:14 +0000

i was of course devastated when he died. the rolling stone article about the period leading up to his death was heart-wrenching. i tried to read some girl with curious hair right after i heard he'd died and couldn't because i was crying too much. yeah, consider the lobster is probably my favorite of his non-fiction. well, maybe that and a supposedly fun thing i'll never do again. it's so hard to choose! as far as fiction goes, girl with curious hair is definitely my second favorite (after infinite jest of course!) and i just saw on wikipedia that they are publishing his unfinished last novel posthumously in 2010!

By: Lauren

Lauren — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:55:51 +0000

i also had no idea he had died! i found his archived NYT obit and was almost crying as i read it (sitting at my desk at work…) it’s so sad! so now i’m actually going to buy (since i’m guessing they won’t have any of his work in the tiny Obihiro library’s even tinier English language section…) and read a book! can you recommend which one or two (as i seem to have a lot of free time as well as insomnia this summer…) i should get? the lobster one looks interesting. what do you think?

By: basilbias

basilbias — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:06:43 +0000

you’re right, this is copy number three! it’s that good. and i love that you love it as much as i do. not many people would read a 1000 page book just because their friend recommended it…

By: Lauren

Lauren — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:32:32 +0000

or “gave me” that is… sorry I can’t write complete thoughts or comments.
additionally, that book is very special to me. i’m not much of a fiction reader and i usually immediately forget whatever i’ve just read but i remember that book so vividly. i agree about relating to all the characters. i think its because they are so carefully created anyway, read it! it’s long but it’s worth it! and it will give a whole new level of meaning to Lisa’s wonderful footnotes on this site.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:18:19 +0000

so is it your 3rd copy now? I thought you “gave” (as in I never returned…) your first one

By: basilbias

basilbias — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 02:27:30 +0000

i’m so glad you’re enjoying it this time around!
although hundreds of pages actually were cut from his first manuscript, you have a point: a lot of trees must have gone into the making of ij. however, reading a second-hand copy during daylight hours (or in compact flouorescent light) is still pretty low-carbon, especially when you consider the more carbon-intensive activities you may have otherwise pursued.

By: Eve

Eve — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 18:48:02 +0000

I’m 1/10 of the way into Infinite Jest for my second try, and now wonder what stopped me during my last attempt. As you mention, understanding what is going on seems beside the point. The enjoyment comes from letting it overwhelm you – with inane concepts, arcane language, and characters that keep you squeamishly sympathetic. Given the heft of the book, however, I’m not sure we can say it is truly low-carbon entertainment. If DFW had sustainability in mind he would, perhaps, have edited himself a bit.