Jason’s Comments (group member since Aug 06, 2012)

Jason’s comments from the Infinite Jest – David Foster Wallace group.

This thread is for discussions of Les Assassins des Fauteuils Rollents (and the Front de libération du Québec) in IJ. Please note that there are likely to be spoilers throughout the thread, so first-time readers may want to delay reading and posting until after they have finished their first read of IJ.

Oh, nice. Garima rules.

What are the acronyms, Shmuli?

Ok, I'm back. Thanks, month-long break!

Nice, Gary!

I agree. Reading that, I got the distinct impression that someone who's been there would totally get it.

Other books.

I'm stuck right around here. I need to either get my ass in gear or just drop this thing until I have more time for it.

I loved it, Elizabeth!

Here's another one—

Shmuli said: And by opposing end them? Maybe it's all just 'entertainment'.

Dustin wrote: "Another question: would you recommend reading some of Wallace's shorter works before tackling the mammoth which is Infinite Jest?"

I guess Mala would support that recommendation (based on her message 4), but I don't have any preference personally. I suppose you could start with either.

I agree about the narcissism in "The Depressed Person." At first, it was almost comical how screwed up the narrator is, until it starts to dawn on you (the reader) how viciously cyclical this depressed way of thinking is. It felt like being trapped in a circular hallway whose doors keep closing as you approach them.

Honestly? I think they're brilliant. I like them better than I like his long form.

Here is one I loved!

Elizabeth said: I'd be happy to answer, but I'd like you to confirm that you are holding the grimy remains of James O. Incandeza's severed head.

Since our little facelift the other day, a new group challenge question has been posed to new prospective members. From Hamlet's "To be, or not to be" soliloquy, the question is:

“Is it nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles [and by opposing end them]?”

(The truncated part is because Goodreads is a character-limiting little bitch.)

Anyhow, this thread will be for the mods to present us with some of our favourite answers!

We haven't really broken it down to individual weekly page counts, but I'm basically following Kris's FORMULA #3 at the top of Page 1, except shifting it out a month (60 pages per week). So I guess something like this?

01 Jan – 06 Jan: read to page 60
07 Jan – 13 Jan: read to page 120
14 Jan – 20 Jan: read to page 180
21 Jan – 27 Jan: read to page 240
28 Jan – 03 Feb: read to page 300
04 Feb – 10 Feb: read to page 360
11 Feb – 17 Feb: read to page 420
18 Feb – 24 Feb: read to page 480
25 Feb – 03 Mar: read to page 540
04 Mar – 10 Mar: read to page 600
11 Mar – 17 Mar: read to page 660
18 Mar – 24 Mar: read to page 720
25 Mar – 31 Mar: read to page 780
01 Apr – 07 Apr: read to page 840
08 Apr – 14 Apr: read to page 900
15 Apr – 21 Apr: read to page 960
22 Apr – 28 Apr: finish Infinite Jest

Something like that.

Not only did DFW write one of the longest books in the English language, but he was also a masterful short story teller. I've read a few so far from this collection—including “The Depressed Person,” which is one of the most insightful depictions of depression I've ever encountered—and so but therefore I'd like to open up discussion to his short stories as supplemental reading, should anyone be interested.

Since this group is under new management and new management reads slowly, you'll find the group read dates have been pushed back a bit so new management doesn't feel so behind. =)

If you guys are good, I'll post a real-life picture of the Mods Trifecta mmm, maybe some time next week?

(Only if you're good, though.)

Dustin wrote: "Is there an actual soundtrack?"

There's a user-generated soundtrack created as a playlist in Spotify. Do you have Spotify?
http://open.spotify.com/user/ancatdub...

Also, there is already a thread for Infinite Jest music. It is here: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/9...

Mike wrote: "Do you kinda wonder if some people (not our friends, of course), at some point just decided: the hell with it, gave it five stars, and shelved it unfinished?"

No, I've been honestly thinking that there's some sort of major epiphany upon completing this book that profoundly affects people's star rating (moving it toward the five). I guess we'll see, though. I keep having to put it down to read other books (because I'm in a book club) but one day I will finish it. =)