This Topic is Archived
pizzalover (original poster member #38336) posted at 7:14 PM on Friday, July 18th, 2014
Have any of you read Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace? On my IPad it's 1500 pages. I'm starting to read it. It seems very dense. Is it worth sticking with it?
Trying to rebuild each day
Me - WW 41
Him - BH 41 (mpb1974)
2 Furrbabies - sweet cats
Met - 8/13/99
Started dating - 9/11/99
Moved in together - 3/03
Engaged - 6/5/09
Married - 8/21/10
D-Day - 1/24/13
Affair started 5/09
norabird ( member #42092) posted at 9:42 PM on Thursday, July 24th, 2014
Definitely stick with it! I think it's the best book written in my lifetime (30 years), at least in English. It took me a while to adjust to the writing style but I'm so glad I stuck it out--he is so intelligent and perceptive. It is also so different structurally from most other books (not just the footnotes--the narrative too) that it's really fascinating. And he is an incredible writer gifted with great empathy.
pizzalover (original poster member #38336) posted at 9:44 PM on Thursday, July 24th, 2014
Thanks Norabird... I will stick with it! I appreciate your feedback! 
Trying to rebuild each day
Me - WW 41
Him - BH 41 (mpb1974)
2 Furrbabies - sweet cats
Met - 8/13/99
Started dating - 9/11/99
Moved in together - 3/03
Engaged - 6/5/09
Married - 8/21/10
D-Day - 1/24/13
Affair started 5/09
WhereIsHome ( member #43662) posted at 1:13 AM on Friday, July 25th, 2014
Wallace is absolutely brilliant in my eyes. Infinite Jest is a hard read no ifs, ands, or buts. A lot of it probably went over my head have a dictionary handy while reading! I was a tennis player growing up and dreamed of training at an academy similar to lead character which is what initially drew me to the book. I am not going to give anything away I read it in late 90s and cannot recall all the details. The actual "infinite jest" though blew me away now that I think about it and it's as if Wallace could see the future when he wrote the book in the 90s. If you ever want to PM when you are complete I will give you my take.
Last fall I stumbled across a commencement speech he delivered in 2006 titled This Is Water. There is the full speech and then a condensed speech which a production company created a video to. Both the full speech and video version are awesome in my opinion and can be found on YouTube. There are some portions in the full speech near the end where Wallace speaks of true love and commitment. This stuck with me and truly resonate with me now that I sit here typing this as a betrayed husband.
Infinite jest thumbs up but it's a big commitment
This is water definitely check out great stuff in my opinion.
totalheartbreak ( member #41589) posted at 9:53 PM on Friday, July 25th, 2014
I've not read it yet... but have heard about it form numerous friends.
There is a summer 'group' that goes through it every year and it may assist your reading of it...
http://infinitesummer.org/
“You know hope is a mistake. If you can’t fix what’s broken, you’ll go insane.” - Max Rockatansky
The smart man divorces a lawyer.
The smarter man never marries one in the first place.
To her we were never worth the effort. :-/
pizzalover (original poster member #38336) posted at 1:08 AM on Thursday, July 31st, 2014
WhereIsHome - Thanks for your response. I haven't gotten very far yet. I have a feeling it's going to take a REALLY long time to read. I will PM you if I have any questions or want to discuss it!
Totalheartbreak - Thanks for the link! I'll check it out.
Trying to rebuild each day
Me - WW 41
Him - BH 41 (mpb1974)
2 Furrbabies - sweet cats
Met - 8/13/99
Started dating - 9/11/99
Moved in together - 3/03
Engaged - 6/5/09
Married - 8/21/10
D-Day - 1/24/13
Affair started 5/09
This Topic is Archived
