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A review by pheelmphree
Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
5.0
I finally put this monster of book down tonight. I had been reading it, on and off, for over six months. I had my ups and downs. I must have read at least ten other books during that time. When you're reading "IJ", people come out of nowhere to share their experiences with the book. You quickly learn, for instance, that people "in the know" refer to it as "IJ." I've seen one reference where a reader began to regard it as an unpaying and unwanted additional roommate. I knew what I was getting into before I started. I had discussed the book with several huge David Foster Wallace (DFW) fans, and I realized I couldn't just start it on a whim. I needed some mental preparation. From basic research, I knew the initial 50 pages would be the first big hurdle. They were.
It might be too early for me to know if I loved IJ. Someone told me I needed to immediately re-read the first 100 pages once I finished. I think I'll wait a while. I certainly enjoyed the book (despite many times where I felt like I was doing homework just to make a dent). At times I found myself laughing out loud. Other parts were extremely depressing and hopeless - I won't lie. The book is an undeniable ingenious piece of literature. DFW's narratives and talent for description are extremely rare. Unparalleled, really, in my experience.
I highly recommend this book, and strongly advise serious mental preparation before the commitment.
A good resource, if only to look up certain words and references:
http://infinitejest.wallacewiki.com/david-foster-wallace/index.php?title=Main_Page
A few reviews to help you along:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/07/books/review/everything-about-everything-david-foster-wallaces-infinite-jest-at-20.html?_r=1
https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2016/feb/15/infinite-jest-at-20-still-a-challenge-still-brilliant-emma-lee-moss
http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/beyond-infinite-jest
It might be too early for me to know if I loved IJ. Someone told me I needed to immediately re-read the first 100 pages once I finished. I think I'll wait a while. I certainly enjoyed the book (despite many times where I felt like I was doing homework just to make a dent). At times I found myself laughing out loud. Other parts were extremely depressing and hopeless - I won't lie. The book is an undeniable ingenious piece of literature. DFW's narratives and talent for description are extremely rare. Unparalleled, really, in my experience.
I highly recommend this book, and strongly advise serious mental preparation before the commitment.
A good resource, if only to look up certain words and references:
http://infinitejest.wallacewiki.com/david-foster-wallace/index.php?title=Main_Page
A few reviews to help you along:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/07/books/review/everything-about-everything-david-foster-wallaces-infinite-jest-at-20.html?_r=1
https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2016/feb/15/infinite-jest-at-20-still-a-challenge-still-brilliant-emma-lee-moss
http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/beyond-infinite-jest