Reading the Chunksters discussion
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Infinite Jest
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Around 60 pages a week works for me and I'd be happy with either start date. I've just ordered a copy of the book, since I don't think there is much chance of the library letting me keep it for 4 months ;-)
The later the better because I'm very busy during harvest/hunting season, and because I always do a seasonal read of horror novels. Start whenever is convenient though, because I might just have to play catch up any ways, and that's fine since once we get to the first snows I will have loads more free time. I have this one on audiobook, so I'll try and keep up!
Either start date, and 50-60 pages works for me.I hope you can figure out an easy way to mark the sections, Zulfiya. It doesn't look like there are chapter numbers, and from flipping through pages, many of the chapter headings seem to be the same or very similar.
Either start date works for me as well. And 50-60 pages would suit me best as I am reading multiple chunksters right now, including Fall of Giants with our group.
This book looks so interesting. I am going to try very hard to keep up this time!
I ended up voting for The Name of the Rose because I stalled on it a few years ago and have been wanting to read it with a group since then. However, I may try to join you all! The threads have been so busy though, that I'm not sure I can keep up with reading them, let alone the book! There seems to be a very keen group of readers here!
I'm going to try join for this one. But I'm reading other chunksters and am already a bit nervous about keeping up
I'm wondering if maybe we might like to have a separate thread for posting or talking about outside resources that would aid us in reading this mammoth book? I ask because I started looking at some websites and thought others would find them useful. It might also be a place for us to talk about outside influences that might not be restricted to just a single week's reading (for example, discussing the influence of Shakespeare's Hamlet). Any thoughts on such a thread?
That's a good idea, Linda. I am home after 3 p.m. tomorrow and will work on this thread and additional resources.
Great idea Linda -- Infinite Summer is a great resource for starting out... they have a post on How to Read IJ.This Infinite Jest Wiki site has a character diagram that shows all the connections between characters. Obviously not something you want to look at until you're finished, but I'm mentioning it here so I remember to check it out later.
They also have spoiler-free annotations by page which seems like a great thing to browse as you're reading.
John wrote: "Great idea Linda -- Infinite Summer is a great resource for starting out... they have a post on How to Read IJ.This Infinite Jest Wiki site has a character diagram that shows all the connections ..."
This is the best resource I have found. I referred to it when I was reading IJ for the first time. So much great information!!!!
John wrote: "Great idea Linda -- Infinite Summer is a great resource for starting out... they have a post on How to Read IJ.This Infinite Jest Wiki site has a character diagram that shows all the connections ..."
John, thank you SO much for this information. I had read a little of the beginning of the book and was going to pass, but now I think I might give it a try. The guidance given by your links will be very helpful. Phew! :-)
John, that website is awesome. I especially liked number 6, because I was totally looking ahead!!I also have to brush up on my Hamlet.
I also just bought the reader's guide.
Zulfiya wrote: "That's a good idea, Linda. I am home after 3 p.m. tomorrow and will work on this thread and additional resources."Thanks, Zulfiya!
John wrote: "This Infinite Jest Wiki site has a character diagram that shows all the connections between characters. Obviously not something you want to look at until you're finished, but I'm mentioning it here so I remember to check it out later.They also have spoiler-free annotations by page which seems like a great thing to browse as you're reading."
John, those were the exact pages I was looking at last night. I also found the character diagram, but did not want to look at it until I have finished the book, but also didn't want to forget about the website!
I also started looking at the spoiler-free annotations by page for what I have read so far.
Also, I've read Hamlet, but that was in high school so I really have no memory of what happens. To be honest, Shakespeare is very difficult for me to read and understand, so I generally stay away from it. I would like to try rereading Hamlet, though, so I can understand IJ more thoroughly.
I just read that website's advice for reading IJ...I felt a bit of panic rising when I retrieved my copy from the library (OMG is it big!) but now I'm starting to feel intimidated! It looks like a lot of my other side-reads are going to have to lay by the wayside while I brush up on my Hamlet and crack this thing open!Super glad for this group. I know I won't have to "do it all myself" since the discussions are so helpful and people will definitely catch things I miss!
I've finished with the first reading section now -- all I can say is holy crap we are going to have a lot to talk about :)I mostly just have a vague recollection of the general plot of Hamlet...I will probably look into it soon, but generally I'm not too worried about missing the allusions to things outside of the text itself.
John wrote: "I've finished with the first reading section now -- all I can say is holy crap we are going to have a lot to talk about :) Haha! Can't wait to start, and thanks, John, and everyone for the great online resources noted above!
Me too, John - finished the first section last night. Well, I figure that this is a book I can see myself wanting to reread. So this first go around, I'm going to approach it in a somewhat relaxed manner. I've taken a few notes, but more about the timeline than anything else, and words I don't understand.
I've read it twice and I know I will find things I missed when we read it again. I don't think it's possible to get everything the first time around, so it's a good idea to relax and just enjoy it. But don't skip the footnotes. Most of them aren't really footnotes. They are extensions to the story. I believe DFW used a lot of them to give you a little break from the main narrative so that we could explore some of the background.
I'm worried with all of the supplemental IJ information, other than the footnotes provided, that it might not promote as much of an organic discussion? I was planning on reading along and enjoying the experience as it presented itself instead of worrying about what I could be missing (which I am sure will be plenty) this first time. I would prefer not to be guided along by extra information, other than the footnotes, until maybe after I have read the whole novel. I want to read it as Wallace presented it
Ami wrote: "I'm worried with all of the supplemental IJ information, other than the footnotes provided, that it might not promote as much of an organic discussion? I was planning on reading along and enjoying ..."Oh, I agree with you, Ami. I'm not trying to read anything of the sort that attempts to explain what I have just read, besides the annotations by page website, which contains some words I would have looked up anyway. Some of the stuff, like the character diagram, I would like a place to make note of it, and then come back to it later after I've read the book. And as to Hamlet, I would like to at least review the plot and characters at least a little bit as I'm reading IJ.
I could see myself coming back to the thread of resources mostly after I've read the book.
Thanks John for the link. It was extremely informative.But can I just say that I am super intimidated right now!!! I honestly thought that the footnotes were the only thing that you had to keep up with and while that was intimidating enough, this website just increased my panic levels.
I have also read Hamlet but that was again long back in high school.. I have to brush up on that as well..Phew..I hope I can keep up.
But am super glad that we are doing it as a group for I wouldn't have been able to manage it independently, at least not completely.
Just got my copy (physical one as recommended by all here) and will start reading soon. I hope I don't miss out much on the understanding part!
Ami wrote: "I would prefer not to be guided along by extra information, other than the footnotes, until maybe after I have read the whole novel. I want to read it as Wallace presented it "I totally agree! I'm not planning on really digging into any of the "secrets" during the read -- figuring that out myself is part of the fun.
Linda wrote: "Ami wrote: "I'm worried with all of the supplemental IJ information, other than the footnotes provided, that it might not promote as much of an organic discussion? I was planning on reading along a...":) I'm tempted to look, trust me, but I'll wait till we're done! I think it will be interesting to see how much we notice on our own as we read and together as we discuss, that's all.
P.S. Great input in Dombey & Son, by the way. I'm glad to be reading IJ with you too in the coming days.
Ami wrote: ":) I'm tempted to look, trust me, but I'll wait till we're done! I think it will be interesting to see how much we notice on our own as we read and together as we discuss, that's all."Yes, totally! Putting together the puzzle is the fun part. :)
P.S. Great input in Dombey & Son, by the way. I'm glad to be reading IJ with you too in the coming days.
Thanks! And ditto to you. :) Although I have not had much to input yet on D&S. I'm quite enjoying the book so far, but it's not until I read other peoples' comments that I think "oh...what a great observation!". (I kind of suck, really, at literary analysis. But that's why I love these reading groups...)
I just opened a thread where you post the links to sites and other other resources that might be helpful. I am also going to send an invitation to our group event - the discussion of this novel. I hope many will participate, well, especially those who voted for it :-)
Decided to touch base here, as I've been incredibly busy the last few months. I read Infinite Jest earlier in the year, and have moved on to some other large reads that I'm trying to get caught up on. I *will* start to re-read this before too long, and hopefully soon enough to get wrapped up in the discussion. :)
Linda wrote: To be honest, Shakespeare is very difficult for me to read and understand, so I generally stay away from it. ."If you have any questions about Hamlet or any of the main Shakepeare plays really I'm happy to help. I've always loved the Bard and never found him difficult for whatever reason.
Nicola wrote: "If you have any questions about Hamlet or any of the main Shakepeare plays really I'm happy to help. I've always loved the Bard and never found him difficult for whatever reason."Thanks for the kind offer! I still have yet to try tackling Hamlet again as a companion to IJ, so I'll keep you in mind. :)
Hm...I keep forgetting the Hamlet connection....
Hal and his relationship with the deceased father as well as his relationship with his half-uncle Chuck /half- somebody, and the connection between Uncle Chuck and Mrs. Incandenza ...At least, that is what we know so far ...
Nicola wrote: "Linda wrote: To be honest, Shakespeare is very difficult for me to read and understand, so I generally stay away from it. ."If you have any questions about Hamlet or any of the main Shakepeare p..."
Zulfiya wrote: "Hal and his relationship with the deceased father as well as his relationship with his half-uncle Chuck /half- somebody, and the connection between Uncle Chuck and Mrs. Incandenza ...
At least, th..."
It's been a while since I have read Hamlet, however, it's familiar enough to notice the major commonalities- IJ is heavily laden with Hamlet references...Heavily!
Along with some of the major aspects Zulfiya mentioned, I think, Marathe and Steeply could easily be compared to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. I also remember thinking "Ophelia" while reading about Kate Gompert.
I have a question, Nicola... Wasn't the relationship between Hamlet and Gertrude perceived to be a little scandalous?
Ami wrote: I have a question, Nicola... Wasn't the relationship between Hamlet and Gertrude perceived to be a little scandalous?..."
Their relationship to me wasn't scandalous as such, as in it was never overtly wrong. The undertones of the play however did convey a slight unpleasant sense of the Oedipus complex - was Hamlets outrage on the inclusion in his mother's bed of another man entirely for his dead fathers benefit?
The overwhelming love and affection Gertrude shows towards her son can add to the sense of general unease. I loved it personally - it's so well done, like an ominous undercurrent or a dark shadow. You try to convince yourself that you're imagining things, but there's still this unspoken unease that eats away. Or you can say 'rubbish' and not believe a word!
I love Hamelt :-)
Right, Infinite Jest has arrived so I'll be starting this on Monday once the new Winter Seasonal Challenge begins. By then I'll have finished (or I should have) the 3 other books I'm currently reading at the moment. I'm looking forward to joining you all but I'll have to work harder at first to get up to where you guys all are.
Nicola wrote: "Right, Infinite Jest has arrived so I'll be starting this on Monday once the new Winter Seasonal Challenge begins. By then I'll have finished (or I should have) the 3 other books I'm currently rea..."Nicola, I have not started yet, either, so you and I are in the same boat, I guess! I'm more intimidated than ever before, actually. I recently read Girl with Curious Hair as an introduction to DFW, which I highly recommend, BTW, and I'm currently reading Hamlet. Hopefully I can work myself up to this behemoth soon, but I think IJ is one of those books where you can't really prepare for.. am I right, guys? You just have to take the plunge.
I wouldn't worry about catching up to the others in the group. Take it slow, about 60 pages a week, or thereabouts, and have fun.
Reading the Chunksters
Books mentioned in this topic
Girl with Curious Hair (other topics)The Name of the Rose (other topics)
Meanwhile, any ideas how many pages per week you are willing to read? Usually we read 50-60 pages per week. It is ideal for those who multi-read, and it aslo helps to read and savor the discussion, but I am open to your suggestions.
Another question is the start date - is September 29 too early for you? Will October 06 be more convenient?