What book are we going to read for The Spring?

paris · **Posted:** Wed Aug 05, 2009 11:27 pm

I like the deviousness of IJ for an on-line reading like this. Let's stick with these hyper-referential and self-referential types of texts. I get so much out of all the various insights people share, helping to piece the book together as we read.

Is it dumb to ask about maybe reading Gravity's Rainbow? I read it when I was 20, remember only bits and pieces, but I also remember how my mind just shook and reeled and gaped, and that I am not the same since reading it. As much as I want to re-read it, I cannot really imagine doing it again without the added support of folks like those of IS.

But 2666 is a great suggestion, too. Or Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle?

quinn · **Joined:** Sat Jun 27, 2009 12:55 am **Posts:** 35

Motley Fool · **Joined:** Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:48 am **Posts:** 61

Gravity's Rainbow may be an interesting choice since my first attempt to read i was abandoned. I'd actually begun that after reading IJ the first time because of comparsions that had been made between DFW and Pynchon. Perhaps reading it again with the group's input would help develop the momentum to complete it this time around.

illogicaljoker · **Joined:** Tue Jul 07, 2009 7:08 am **Posts:** 48

Can we vote between a couple of the biggies? I would love to group-read 2666, but I'd hate to try Gravity's Rainbow. I'd love to read Europe Central again--I'd also love to give Cryptonomicon (or the Baroque Cycle) a spin, but I don't really think they fit the topic matter at hand.

JFD · **Joined:** Wed Jun 24, 2009 10:20 am **Posts:** 16

My vote, not that I have one, is: Gravity's Rainbow.

I have a 1975 copy that I haven't read since then. I think a group like this (at about the same 10 pages a day) would be an ideal way to ford that river.

r3r3r3 · **Joined:** Mon Jun 29, 2009 4:50 pm **Posts:** 1

My suggestion is Dhalgren. That's one that has been sitting on my bedside table forever.

storm · **Posted:** Tue Aug 11, 2009 6:09 pm

To all the 2666 votes out there, I read that book after my first time through IJ. I felt like I was trying to pull IJ-ness out of 2666. Sometimes there were eerie similarities. Sometimes I was pathetically, desperately trying to force the connections on the basis that they're both long books. In any event, it's definitely a good discussion book. AND a book that almost requires external motivation to finish.

JRLSberro · **Posted:** Thu Aug 20, 2009 9:56 am

I love how the same or very similar discussions get going in different forum areas! Over in the Infinite Summer General Discussion (I think) is a thread on making this a yearly event with the consensus seeming to be DFW's The Pale King when it comes out: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=335

In terms of the thoughts expressed over here, I'm very interested in trying Ulysses in a group (been too intimidated to try it on my own); could be persuaded to try Gravity's Rainbow (never could get through it before!); love Stephenson and have already read The Baroque Cycle (wonderful) but Cryptonomicon is currently collecting dust on my nightstand.

I sure hope Matthew wasn't kidding when he said he wouldn't give us the winter off! This is just Too Much Fun.

Joan

Medusa4303 · **Joined:** Thu Jun 18, 2009 8:51 am **Posts:** 43

I'm very interested in keeping the "project" going after we finish IJ!

Please let us know all the information. I plan to price out the chosen book, buy it, and get started on time. This was just too much fun to let it drop!

I have greatly benefited from all the feedback I got on this forum. Sure, I could have read IJ on my own, but I got so much from everyone here.

matthewbaldwin · **Joined:** Thu May 28, 2009 7:59 pm **Posts:** 37

Please see viewtopic.php?f=7&t=477&start=0 for more details on the future of this project. We've taken all of the above into account, and would welcome your further input. Thanks!

Infinite Summer

What book are we going to read for The Spring?

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