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

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

I skimmed it when I reached 45 just in case, but I plan to read it for realz when I actually get there.

I agree. The endnotes really seem like they are meant to be part of the text. I wouldn't advise skipping them, either.

Kai wrote: "What do you mean one never knows? Are you telling me that there are people in this world who don't read the same book multiple times? Because I don't believe it!"

I hardly ever re-read. There are exceptions (for example, books I've read in high school that I suspect I did not appreciate fully), but any book I've read as an adult I have not re-read.

Oh, I'm definitely reading the endnotes. I think they are part of the text. Kris, I agree it makes sense to only make the threads go up to the end of the novel proper; endnotes should be considered part of the preceding text. I hope you feel better!

I'm guessing it's 1079 which is the most popular edition (in both hardcover and paperback). So it shouldn't be too hard to find the right thread; I just wanted to confirm.

Kris, which edition are you basing these page numbers on? Is it the one that goes to page 1079? I just want to know because I'm reading on Kindle, and it will help me figure out which corresponding page number I'm on (and thus, which thread to post in).

I have to say, I have heard so much about this book and its implied difficulty—or perhaps this is me making incorrect assumptions of people's comments—with some readers even suggesting multiple copies and a separate notebook and a bunch of different bookmarks to keep track, etc. I thought for sure I was fucked reading this on a Kindle.

Look, I realize I'm still early on, but I've already encountered a few examples of footnotes within endnotes (ha!) and I'm telling you, reading this on the Kindle couldn't be easier. It is super simple to maneuver between text and footnotes and I'm not finding that I need a separate copy of the text or a spiral-bound notebook to keep track of anything. I pretty much take notes regardless of the book I'm reading anyway, just so that I can get ideas for review-wrriting, but I'm not finding this to be book to be very difficult to read at all. Even those pages-long-sentences are written so well and flow so easily that I almost don't even realize they are long sentences. This book is that good.

Anyway, I might still get a copy from the library just so I can leave it on my coffee table. It would make a good conversation starter when company comes and I think it would just look really cool there.

SHULGSHULGSPAHHH…Ahh. :)

I agree with you. Unfortunately I read absolutely nothing today. I spent the whole day dealing with more broken pipes and other plumbing issues.

Traveller wrote: "Now, what a way to start off a thread on the reading of IJ, eh? ;)"

Word.

Yay for discussion threads! So I finished the first two 'chapters' (are they really chapters??) and I'm floored by how breezily this is written. For some reason I assumed this would be a difficult book. Granted, I'm only at 3%, but I don't find anything particularly unreadable or off-putting so far. In fact, the first two stories are excellent: the tennis player's outburst is fascinating to read about because from his perspective, (view spoiler)[there is no outburst, yet he gets strapped to a hospital gurney for it (hide spoiler)]. And in the second, the pot smoker's description of his addiction is so compelling I honestly thought I could smell pot in the room while I was reading it. Mmm...I love the smell of pot.

That is all for today.

As usual, Kris, it sounds like we're on the same page. That sounds perfect. Thank you!!

Wow, that sounds like a lot of threads! I just meant "hey let's chat about Chapter 1 somewhere." I wasn't thinking of any particular character or theme.

I am fucked.

Jerry wrote: "I have several ideas for threads!"

SPEAK.

No worries, Kris. I'm just being my usual pain-in-the-ass self. =)

SOMEONE HELP KRIS MAKE US SOME THREADS! SOME DELICIOUS, DECADENT THREADS!

I think just having threads set up would be a huge help. I think that was mostly my concern...I want to be ready to talk about it but don't know where.

Kris, is there an official reading schedule? If so, maybe you could freeze it with an asterisk so it's at the top of the folder? For other reading groups, we've had a defined # of pages per week. Are we doing that or are people just generally reading at their own pace?

Yeah, Hamlet was pretty awesome.

I think it's just the title, Brian, that comes from Hamlet. Although I wasn't sure if there were any other connections. I might read Hamlet next just for the hell of it. I'll regret it later when I start Proust before having finished DFW.