Posted by Steven on 8/9/2011, 21:40:12, in reply to "Re: Wittgenstein's Mistress (spoilers)"
76.186.51.185
I read Infinite Jest last year. It is a bizarre mixture of gritty realism and absurd fantasy. There are several parallel narrative threads following loosely related characters. Chapters are devoted to the life of recovering addicts with detailed descriptions of Boston Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Then we follow the high-pressure life of kids at an academy for gifted tennis players. In the bigger picture, following the unification of Canada, the USA and Mexico, Quebec has been forced to accept territory ceded from New England because it is too polluted to be livable. In response, a shadowy group of legless separatists known as "Les Assassins des Fauteuils Rollents" (the Wheelchair Assassins) is hunting down the ultimate weapon, a film called "Infinite Jest," that is so enthralling it drains the very life out of anyone foolish enough to watch it.
Like Finnegans Wake, Infinite Jest actually loops back to its own beginning. It's a remarkable book. Even the AA parts are surprisingly entertaining. I think anyone who liked Gravity's Rainbow would enjoy it, but it's quite long to be sure.
--Previous Message--
: I've read A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again, a
: collection of essays. The title essay about being on
: a cruise ship and the essay about the Illinois State
: Fair are hilarious. Like most books of essays, it's
: uneven, but when it's good, it's very good indeed. I
: have not read Infinite Jest. The immense length is
: daunting even to me (lover of Pynchon, Proust, etc.).
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: --Previous Message--
: I saw the David Foster Wallace quote. Have you read
: any
: of his books? I have always wondered about Infinite
: Jest.
:
: Lale
:
: --Previous Message--
: Yes, it was my suggestion. I had read that David
: Foster
: Wallace called it "the high point of experimental
: fiction in this country," so naturally I wanted
: to read it and thought it would be a good choice for
: our group. I'm delighted that you enjoyed it, Lale.
: I liked it so much that it actually made my
: anniversary top ten list.
:
:
:
: --Previous Message--
: --Previous Message--
: Who suggested this most extraordinary book to the
: group?
:
: The 2011 nominations thread seems to have disappeared,
: but I'm pretty sure it was Sterling.
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