Wallace, David Foster. Infinite Jest. New york: Back Bay Books, 2009.
Reason read: I picked this up in honor of Wallace’s birth month. Take note of the date.
To be honest, the sheer size of this book was daunting even before I cracked it open. Add to its heft four complicated subplots, over 380 footnotes, corporate sponsorships, and a futuristic timeline and I waved the white flag. I didn’t feel bad about my decision after I came across a YouTube video of Bill Gates explaining why he couldn’t be bothered either. the one element of Infinite Jest I thought I was missing out on was all of the references to Shakespeare’s Hamlet. I think I would have enjoyed teasing out those details.
Plot One concerns a group of radicals from Quebec who plan a violent geopolitical coup.
Plot Two centers on a group of students in Boston all suffering or coping with substance addiction.
Plot three takes place at a tennis Academy in Connecticut.
Fourth plot is the history of the Incandenza family. All plots are connected by the movie “Infinite Jest” by James Incandenza, but are not in chronological order.
As an aside, when Bill Gates says he can’t be bothered to read Infinite Jest it makes you wonder why you’re reading it.
Author fact: Wallace attended Amherst College just down the road from me. The fact he committed suicide is a tragedy.
Book trivia: Infinite Jest has made an impact on pop culture with references in television and music.
Nancy said: Pearl called Infinite Jest an “excellent pomo book.
BookLust Twist: from Book Lust in one of my least favorite chapters called “The Postmodern Condition” (p 190).
~*LunaSea*~ 