Reading the Chunksters discussion
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Infinite Jest
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Infinite Jest, Self-Support Thread
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YES, this is an awesome idea! Thank you so much, Zulfiya! And you're completely right, IJ shouldn't flow easily, nor should it be rushed. I think that the 60 or so pages a week is about right. And I am more intimidated than ever.. Aye, aye, aye..
I think if I was not reading this book with the group, I would have given up by now. But I'm also sure that when I finish, I will be glad I read it :)I'm going to be getting behind for the next couple of weeks, but I will definitely catch up again when December starts.
Rosemary wrote: "I think if I was not reading this book with the group, I would have given up by now. But I'm also sure that when I finish, I will be glad I read it :)"YESSS!!! I agree!!! I think thats why I'm having a harder time when others are behind because I need the group chat and support to keep reading!
The adrenaline and the chemistry of the group are very important. Personally, I am enjoying the book a lot, but I do not have a compulsive desire to read it all the time. It is not the book that can be read leisurely because you cannot read it every time when you have 15 minutes to spare, so I read when I know that I have at least thirty minutes of uninterrupted spare time. Sometimes, I find it exciting but laborious to check the cross references or the footnotes, so it does require a submersion, and 15 minutes are not enough to read a massive part that often offers a new perspective or talks about something that is initially hard to pinpoint.
I never know when or if I'll have any uninterrupted/distraction-free reading time, so I must make the best of it. I feel bad that I haven't started IJ yet, but I have not doubt that when I do, these threads will be most helpful and encouraging!
Quite honestly this book gave me a literal headache. I have mild dyslexia and his sentence structure was painfully hard for me to get through. I havent stumbled around like that in years, and was resorting to reading it out loud. , and unfortunately I lost access to the audiobook I thought I had (curse you itunes!), and being part of a smallll community our local library does not have an audio version. I've nearly made it through a chapter. I'm not sure about continuing, I dont mind working hard when I'm reading, but even with my glasses I seem to go all cross-eyed after about five minutes. I will say this, I can ABSOLUTELY see why its thought of as one of the most challenging books and applaud all who continue to read on! I might just have to put this on my back burner until I can nab the audio for a listen.
Becky wrote: "Quite honestly this book gave me a literal headache. I have mild dyslexia and his sentence structure was painfully hard for me to get through. I havent stumbled around like that in years, and was r..."I know, DFW's sentence structures are CRAZY!!
So I am finally, at long last, reading IJ (74 pages in,) and while it is very long and sometimes dense, and definitely confusing, I am loving it nonetheless!!
Dustin wrote: "So I am finally, at long last, reading IJ (74 pages in,) and while it is very long and sometimes dense, and definitely confusing, I am loving it nonetheless!!"Welcome to the IJ club, Dustin!! I'm ~620 pages in and I'm still loving it. :)
Hi Dustin - hopefully you can catch me up as I'm only at around 230 or so! It would be great to have a companion reader :-)I'm loving it too. It's shaping up to be the best book I've read in years - it's not often that I'm so sure it's going to be a 5 star so early in.
Thank you so very much, Linda and Nocola! Better late than never, right? I'm only 94 pages in, but I can already tell that this is one that I'd genuinely regret not reading. My literary journey simply wouldn't be complete with completing Infinite Jest, IMO.I'm so glad you two are loving it.:) That's a very sweet offer, Nocola, and I'd love to be your companion reader, too, but really, I don't want to rush it. Instead, I want to savor every word. I'll certainly be checking out the threads, though, and we can discuss it that way.
I'm not sure that it's going to be a 5 star book for me, this early on, but it IS something very special and I'm looking forward to experiencing more of it.
Since this thread seems kind of all-purpose, I thought it might be interesting to keep a list of "Infinite Jest" -isms, i.e. unique and funny phrases that appear in the book.Here are a few off the top of my head for example:
- Millenial Fizzy (soft drink)
- The Fiends in Human Shape (rock band)
- the Howling Fantods
- "Map" meaning "face"
- "de-map" meaning to kill or assault
Yes, "the Howling Fantods!" Love this one.:)
Dustin wrote: "Yes, "the Howling Fantods!" Love this one.:)"That one's got my vote as well.
Nicola wrote: "Dustin wrote: "Yes, "the Howling Fantods!" Love this one.:)"That one's got my vote as well."
It's hilarious!
I think de-map and the howling fantods were my favorite. I've been using that one and have gotten some funny looks from people :). I finished it just before Christmas and it is by far the best book I have read in the last 10 years.
Amanda wrote: "I think de-map and the howling fantods were my favorite. I've been using that one and have gotten some funny looks from people :). I finished it just before Christmas and it is by far the best book..."WOW, you think that HIGHLY of it, Amanda!? That's awesome!
Amanda wrote: "I think de-map and the howling fantods were my favorite. I've been using that one and have gotten some funny looks from people :). I finished it just before Christmas and it is by far the best book..."Yep, I might be saying the same...
Nicola wrote: "Yep, I might be saying the same... "Me too!
If I didn't have so many books in my TBR list I might suggest following this up with a buddy read of one of DFW's other novels...Broom of the System sounds interesting...
I have already identified three of my friends who I am going to buy another copy of the book for (because I am not letting go of mine) and shoving it into their hands and saying 'read this, trust me'. And I've never done that before.Fortunately two are a couple so I'll only have to buy two books. Unfortunately they live in NZ and I live in the UK so when I head there in January I'm going to have to find room for 3! of these in my already present full suitcase.
I'll also be taking House of Leaves if that side read gets off the ground in the new year. Man, my weight allowance is going to be tight...
Nicola wrote: "Fortunately two are a couple so I'll only have to buy two books. Unfortunately they live in NZ and I live in the UK so when I head there in January I'm going to have to find room for 3! of these in my already present full suitcase.I'll also be taking House of Leaves if that side read gets off the ground in the new year. Man, my weight allowance is going to be tight... "
Wow - good luck with packing!!
re: House of Leaves - I've still got my copy waiting to read. It seems my TBR pile for early 2015 is growing immensely tall already.
Nicola wrote: "I have already identified three of my friends who I am going to buy another copy of the book for (because I am not letting go of mine) and shoving it into their hands and saying 'read this, trust m..."I have nothing but AMAZING things to say about HoL! Enjoy.
After reading and responding to some wonderful posts in the Week 1 thread, I'm feeling much more confident in my ability to finish IJ. Everyone's insight has proven incredible and given me MUCH more to think about. Even in the first 62 pages, I'm amazed just how much these is to discuss. I'm currently on page 152 and quite mesmerized by Marathe and Steeply (the way DFW describes Tuscon is mind-boggling, like the sunset resembling an explosion, etc..) Last night I survived Footnote #45, which takes the reader to #305. That was the most challenging so far, IMO.
Anyway, I guess I just wanted to update you all and thank you for the constant support and encouragement!
Dustin wrote: "After reading and responding to some wonderful posts in the Week 1 thread, I'm feeling much more confident in my ability to finish IJ."Yes, don't quit!! You've got a ton of great scenes ahead of you. :)
Nope, I'm not giving this one up. Overall, I'm really liking it a lot, and I love DFW as a whole. I don't doubt there are many wonderful scenes to look forward to. Thanks, Linda!
Sometimes, we forget that we are reading one of the most challenging novels of the twentieth century and believe that this one should flow easily. No, it should not. It is labyrinthine, mammoth book with hundreds of cross-references, literary allusions, weird word, strange mishaps, so it is only natural that we all need support.
Please post away.