Every year, i pick a big, long, heavy book to wade through. Past years have included Roberto Bolano's "2666" (which was excellent) and Thomas Pynchon's "Mason And Dixon" (which, aside from the part where the main characters smoke weed with George Washington, i absolutely hated). This year, i've chosen the late David Foster Wallace's "Infinite Jest." So far (a couple hundred pages in) there is some good stuff, but you've got to swallow it with a mountain of pretentious bullshit. I'm trying to stay positive and focus on said good stuff, but i hate, hate, hate footnotes and appendices and glossaries, and this novel is just filled to the brim. However, i will soldier on and reward myself with some pulpy detective trash or tripped out sci-fi next. Adieu.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Infinite Jest
Every year, i pick a big, long, heavy book to wade through. Past years have included Roberto Bolano's "2666" (which was excellent) and Thomas Pynchon's "Mason And Dixon" (which, aside from the part where the main characters smoke weed with George Washington, i absolutely hated). This year, i've chosen the late David Foster Wallace's "Infinite Jest." So far (a couple hundred pages in) there is some good stuff, but you've got to swallow it with a mountain of pretentious bullshit. I'm trying to stay positive and focus on said good stuff, but i hate, hate, hate footnotes and appendices and glossaries, and this novel is just filled to the brim. However, i will soldier on and reward myself with some pulpy detective trash or tripped out sci-fi next. Adieu.
a law school professor at UT once described footnotes as "stopping to answer the door during sex." I think that is a fantastic description.
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