Infinite Summer

Is anyone else playing around with the Greg Carlisle book Elegant Complexity: A Study of David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest? I just got my copy in, and at first glance it looks to be pretty good about discussing the novel chapter by chapter without being spoilerish. Looks like it might help me out with more of the big-picture/thematic stuff, which I've never been so great at intuiting; I tend to get caught up in the smaller details and literary muscle flexing.

I read it on my first read and it helped with the themes and to keep a perspective. On my second read, I refer back to it also. I think it's a great guide and I recommend it. I wouldn't get overly concerned if you start getting so into the book that you stop reading the guide here and there as I did. It seems like you can reference the guide when you want to.

Also, the guide isn't going to explain everything and tell you what to think. It's more technical in that it deals with overall themes, chronology, characters, etc. I like that aspect of it.

The author of that guide has a few posts out here too so I gather he is along for the ride this summer.