Comments on: I Am Not Enjoying this Book

By: chris forster · A Final, Belated, Infinite Summer Post

chris forster · A Final, Belated, Infinite Summer Post — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:43:40 +0000

[...] am not enjoying this book,” I wore my plot-driven excitement on my sleeve in a comment on the Infinite Summer blog—a comment that in retrospect seems to quaintly mix naïveté and [...]

By: wheatblog » Blog Archive » The Deep End of the Pool

wheatblog » Blog Archive » The Deep End of the Pool — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 02:33:22 +0000

[...] 5. If it wasn’t obvious, this post is in response to Detox’s post and Daryl’s post, both of which are in response to Avery’s post. [...]

By: The Deep End of the Pool « Infinite Zombies

The Deep End of the Pool « Infinite Zombies — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 02:30:30 +0000

[...] 5. If it wasn’t obvious, this post is in response to Detox’s post and Daryl’s post, both of which are in response to Avery’s post. [...]

By: mernitman

mernitman — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:59:00 +0000

I’m relieved to read Avery’s post, having finally caved and given up (for now) at page 178.

Just wanted to put in a shout-out for DFW’s “This Is Water” (the published version of his 2005 commencement address) because it strikes me as the perfect counterpoint to this (wonderful, inspired) enterprise: a “book” that would actually be under a dozen pages if printed normally, but in this incarnation is only 137 small-sized pages with one sentence on each page.

“Infinite” quitters, read “Water” and rejoice! Arguably the most accessible DFW writing he ever wrote, and between this tiny book and the parts of the Big One you’ve read, you’ll have gotten a strong hit of the essence of one of literature’s (and humanity’s) greats.

By: NickC

NickC — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:32:36 +0000

Can’t speak for anyone else, but I didn’t stop reading because of Avery’s post.

Also, it turns out that Infinite Summer is just as fun without actually reading the book! I still have all the RSS feeds in my Reader, and they’re still enjoyable to read. The book is not worth my time, but Infinite Summer and all the smart/wonderful people involved are still making this a great experience.

By: Aerodynamics

Aerodynamics — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:23:20 +0000

This has clearly got to be the case. The Gately and, especially, the Marathe sections make this obvious, I think.

By: Aerodynamics

Aerodynamics — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:21:42 +0000

I couldn’t disagree more. Wallace’s characters (for the most part) feel much more substantial, complex, and human than most in literature. Wallace or the narrator or to whomever we ascribe the agency of description in this book, is grimly unflinching about some of the more difficult aspects of life, and this really shows during the passage describing Mario at length. I fail to detect any cruelty in the description, however, and as noted above, Mario is consistently portrayed as an almost spiritually ideal human.

By: Aerodynamics

Aerodynamics — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:14:13 +0000

You are 100% on the money, sir. As the summer has passed, the time I spend reading the book has gradually increased and the time I spend on this site has gradually decreased.

That being said, I love the site for its deadlines and strength-in-numbers bulwarks to my wandering attention. It really helps motivate while getting through some of the duller passages.

I hope to see more of these projects in the future. Maybe Barth next?

By: Infinite Summer » Blog Archive » Roundup

Infinite Summer » Blog Archive » Roundup — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:11:31 +0000

[...] the Avery induced exodus, many, many folks continue to write about Infinite Jest. The most indefatigable chronicles [...]

By: brian warden

brian warden — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:11:07 +0000

I would say the opposite is true for me: I love the book, but the postings here, and the I.S. project in general, has been a let down: a lot of really moronic postings and over analyzing (e.g. trial size dove bars, soap or ice cream?) mixed w/ whining about the size/length of the book. Seems like a significant portion of the participants just want to be able to say they’ve read the book, even though they don’t like it, as you point out.