Every Happy Days needs a Laverne and Shirley, and maybe even a Joanie Loves Chachi for good measure. So too is Infinite Summer spawning spin-offs.
Next week Infinite Jest will finally be published in German. At that time, the publisher is planning an Infinite Summer like read-along, and has a bunch of writers all lined up to participate. The official site 9all in German, natch) is http://www.unendlicherspass.de/.
For those who found I.J. a little too daunting (or too readable, and already finished), B. Mernit has launched Infinite Water, which encourages folks to read and discuss David Foster Wallace’s Kenyon Commencement Address.
Speaking of “This is Water”, the Telegraph has a long article on Infinite Jest, Infinite Summer, and David Foster Wallace. In it, Michael Pietsch speaks a bit about Wallace’s final and incomplete novel, The Pale King, to be published posthumously. The commencement is “very much a distillation” of the novel’s theme, says Pietsch, as well as “attention and awareness and discipline, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them over and over in myriad petty, unsexy ways every day.”
And at long last we have a blogroll. Chronic Infinite Jest bloggers are now listed here on the mothership, for your pursuing pleasure.
Oh, and a big congratulations to Chaz Formichella, who became the 1000th member of the Infinite Summer. We sent him a copy of David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest: A Reader’s Guide to commemorate his achievement. Nice work!
How the hell do you translate a book like this into German?
I don’t know if I’m the first to suggest this, but I think the IS crew should set up a sequel site next year for Wallace’s soon-to-be-posthumously-published novel. Though I’m not sure ‘The Pale Summer’ is quite as catchy.
A forum thread has started on this – so perhaps like the t-shirt idea we can get critical mass going for it: http://infinitesummer.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=335
I seem to remember an early interview with Matthew where he thought it would only be him and a few friends doing this crazy Infinite Summer project – the last paragraph here about Chaz pretty much sums up to me how wildly successful this is. Congratulations to Matthew for getting this going!
The Pale Summer — HA! We’ll all be indoors reading, so we won’t get tans.
Oh man, there are going to be German words that go on for several lines. I can’t fathom it.
Anyone know what other languages IJ has been translated into? I Googled around a bit, but other than Italian, didn’t find anything.
Lauren,
IJ has also been translated into Spanish and I think Japanese (there is a Japanese version of Broom of the System and Signifying Rappers, too). Here’s more on the Spanish edition:
http://www.barcelonareview.com/36/s_jff.htm
Thanks all for the translation information.
I had actually been puzzling recently to see if it had been translated. I couldn’t find it anywhere. So, thanks for your diligence.
I did wonder about the feasibility of translating…especially translating it into French (or Quebecker anyhow).
And Italian, says WorldCat. FYI.
For good or ill, I’m still in—though woefully behind. I’ve blogged about my experience here: http://wisdomofthewest.blogspot.com/2009/08/slumgullion.html.
And this to Bergamot: is that you Will P.? If so, drop in at my blog and say hello.
Best,
Jim H.
Am at 18%, according to my Kindle, but really picking up speed as I am sucked in by IJ more & more. God, the garage scene with Jim & the Deceased (and the unforgettable flask as bit player) — that w2ill bring your childhood demons out of the closet!