Infinite jest 9780316066525 by wallace, david foster and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. The book s size, the narrative form and the authors notoriety add to infinite jest s legend. Infinite jest is a 1996 novel by american writer david foster wallace. Feb 04, 2016 if one of your reading resolutions is to finally finish infinite jest, david foster wallaces mammoth novel, im here to help. Infinite jest by david foster wallace the lengthy and complex work takes place in a semiparodic future version of north america. As a college english major, ive read my fair share of great literature, and very few authors even approach wallaces ability to entertain, enlighten, mystify or infuriate. That was the project embarked upon back in april by. David foster wallace infinite jest abc the book club. In infinite jest little, brown and company david foster wallace has written the ultimate megameta novel, a 1078page whopper. T he first of february saw the 20th anniversary of a work considered by many to have changed the rules of fiction.
A novel by david foster wallace and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Crack out your copy of infinite jest, and recreate it in lego. My girlfriend likes to pick up books she can finish in one sitt. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read infinite jest. This event took place six years after foster wallace took his own life and eighteen years following the first printing of infinite jest. These are the endnotes to david foster wallaces infinite jest, a gargantuan, mindaltering comedy about the pursuit of happiness in america. The novel is widely noted for its unconventional narrative structure and its experimental use of endnotes there are a total of 388 endnotes, some with footnotes of their own. Aug 27, 2014 how to get an 11yearold interested in the works of david foster wallace. The novel is widely noted for its unconventional narrative structure and its experimental. David foster wallace broke my heart christianity today.
Dec 19, 2016 infinite jest isnt for everyone, and i dont mean that in a condescending or patronizing way. Infinite jest by david foster wallace the greatest books. If one of your reading resolutions is to finally finish infinite jest, david foster wallaces mammoth novel, im here to help. Feb 26, 2016 the beloved 1,100page novel is david foster wallaces magnum opus and one of the most influential books of its time, but did you know he based its structure on a mathematical object called a. The notoriously long and difficult book from 1996 with visionary insights on modern life. Today is february 21st, david foster wallaces birthday. David foster wallace quotes author of infinite jest.
Infinite jest a gargantuan, mindaltering comedy about the pursuit of happiness in america set in an addicts halfway house and a tennis academy, and featuring the most endearingly screwedup family to come along in recent fiction, infinite jest explores essential questions about what entertainment is and why it has come to so dominate our lives. Books by david foster wallace author of infinite jest. David foster wallaces magnum opus is definitely one of the most polarizing popular novels in recent memory. It is rare to find a reader who is lukewarm about this book. Infinite jest ebook written by david foster wallace. Wallace wrote to a friend that the fuckers cut by 600 pages from the first version. Jan 19, 2016 infinite jest is a 1996 novel by david foster wallace. Infinite jest by david foster wallace booksamillion. So its rather fitting that today i finished reading his magnum opus. This page contains details about the fiction book infinite jest by david foster wallace published in 1996.
David foster wallace was born in 1962 and lived for 46 years. This book is the 329th greatest fiction book of all time as determined by. Just over twenty years ago, david foster wallace published his bestknown and most frustrating novel, infinite jest. Infinite jest is a 1996 novel by david foster wallace. It is designed as a resource for potential readers who fear infinite jest is plotless. The lengthy and complex work takes place in a semiparodic future version of north america, and touches on substance addiction recovery programs, depression, child abuse, family relationships, advertising, popular entertainment, film theory, quebec separatism, and tennis, among other topics. Its not a stretch or very original to call infinite jest the defining work of the 1990s. Feb 01, 1996 admittedly, infinite jest is a tough book. While david foster wallace may have been a talented writer, infinite jest is, still after 20 years. Infinite jest kindle edition by wallace, david foster.
Infinite jest is one of the biggest books ever written, and it certainly is the biggest book i have. Apr 21, 2017 the latest entry in this medium is an electric lit essay called men recommend david foster wallace to me, where a woman who was told by several men that she might enjoy the infinite jest author. Oct 09, 2015 why david foster wallace should not be worshipped as a secular saint the release of a new dfw biopic, the end of the tour, confirms his cult status as a guide to our cultural predicament. Today would have been the 51st birthday of david foster wallace if not for his tragic death in 2008.
The lengthy and complex work takes place in a north american dystopia, centering on a junior tennis academy and a nearby substanceabuse. This wise old whiskery fish swims up to three young fish and goes, morning, boys, hows the water. I do things like get in a taxi and say, the library, and step on it. Dec 12, 2018 check out these david foster wallace books on amazon. The writer, perhaps best known for his 1996 novel, infinite jest, was found dead by his wife. Respond to doctors request for details about book with generic facts about david foster wallaces. Infinite jest by david foster wallace, first edition abebooks. Feb 15, 2016 t he first of february saw the 20th anniversary of a work considered by many to have changed the rules of fiction. David foster wallace novel translated by an 11yearold. David foster wallace on gen x, infinite jest and a life of writing 1996 duration.
Its a 1,079page book with a hundred pages of footnotes. It has been categorized as an encyclopedic novel and made time magazines list of the 100 best englishlanguage novels published between 1923 and 2005. Author david foster wallace has died from an apparent suicide at age 46, the associated press reports. Buy infinite jest 01 by foster wallace, david isbn. Infinite jest was a megahit in 1996, but whatever popularity it enjoyed among magazine writers, it still occupied a niche. Infinite jest by david foster wallace year of glad year. David foster wallace wrote the novels infinite jest, the broom of the system, and the pale king, and the story collections oblivion, brief interviews with hideous men, and girl with curious hair. The novel touches on the topics of tennis, substance addiction and recovery programs, depression, child abuse, family relationships, advertising and popular entertainment, film theory, and quebec separatism. There is stuff that happens in the opening pages that explains events at the end of the book, albeit over pages and hundreds of footnotes away. In my experience, guys who claim to love this book. A readers guide was the first book to be published on the novel and is a key reference for those who wish to explore further. You start the book having no clue when it is happening and who the various characters are. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Is david foster wallaces infinite jest worth reading.
Set in an addicts halfway house and a tennis academy, and featuring the most endearingly screwedup family to come along in recent fiction, infinite jest explores essential questions about what entertainment is and why it has come to so dominate our lives. Check out these david foster wallace books on amazon. Jun 26, 2014 david foster wallace appeared on the connection with christopher lydon on february 21, 1996 to promote infinite jest. A gargantuan, mindaltering comedy about the pursuit of happiness in america set in an addicts halfway house and a. This woman has been slowly eating infinite jest for a year. Infinite jest by david foster wallace, 9780349121086, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
Heres how i finally read infinite jest and how you can, too. David foster wallace infinite jest abc book club youtube. David foster wallace on gen x, infinite jest and a life of. Apr, 2009 equal parts philosophical quest and screwball comedy, infinite jest bends every rule of fiction without sacrificing for a moment its own entertainment value. Make a passing reference to the david foster wallace fanboy and you can assume the reader knows whom youre talking about. The beloved 1100page novel is david foster wallaces magnum opus and one of the most influential books of its time, but did you know he. In this episode of made you think, neil and nat continue reading what the fk is water.
There are a lot of active readers who would put down this book after a couple of chapters. The length may be offputting but i am looking forward to settling down for a few weeks to read it. Infinite jest by david foster wallace the new canon. It is an exuberant, uniquely american exploration of the passions that make us human and one of those rare books that renew the. Infinite jest, by david foster wallace culture vulture. Lauded by readers, critics and his literary peers as one of the most important voices of his. And here, really, is the enigma of david foster wallaces work generally and infinite jest specifically. First off, its pretty huge, and not many people would go for a fat book. Essays on richard powers dalkey archive press, 2008. Not a great segment, but posted here for dfwmedia completists. The action takes place in boston at two separate but. Max revisits david foster wallaces infinite jest twenty years after its. David foster wallace unedited interview 2003 youtube.
Feb 07, 2016 and here, really, is the enigma of david foster wallaces work generally and infinite jest specifically. The two groups rarely interact, and the sections of the book. It is an exuberant, uniquely american exploration of the passions that make us human and one of those rare books that renew the idea of what a novel can do. Infinite jest by david foster wallace, paperback barnes.
While i cant read the book not even the end notes for you, i. Infinite jest by wallace, david foster and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. A gargantuan, mindaltering comedy about the pursuit of happiness. I made it through gravitys rainbow and hope this is as good. We age alongside the novels weve read, and only one of us is actively deteriorating. Infinite jest 1996 is a novel written by david foster wallace. Infinite jest, david foster walaces massive 1,079page tome, is one of the most beloved books of this millennium, but it is also one that through sheer dint of its size has taken on almost religious reverence. Perhaps through a sort of literary stockholm syndrome, people that read infinite jest tend to worship it afterwards. Equal parts philosophical quest and screwball comedy, infinite jest bends every rule of fiction without sacrificing for a moment its own entertainment value. They are very different books from each other, and most of all from infinite jest. He is author of david foster wallaces infinite jest continuum 2003 and coeditor of intersections. Infinite jest 1996, by david foster wallace alltime. Elegant complexity is the first critical work to provide detailed and thorough commentary on each of the 192 sections of david foster wallaces masterful infinite jest.
My first attempt was a list of advice on reading the novelthe submission of which prompted infsums dungeon master, matthew baldwin, to write back with a frowny face and a. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading infinite jest. The lengthy and complex work takes place in a semiparodic future version of north america. Oct 16, 2005 the plot of infinite jest which revolves around, among other things, a lost, unwatchably beautiful art film and a conspiracy among wheelchairbound quebecois secessionistsis decidedly secondary to the painfully funny dialogue and wallaces endlessly rich ruminations and speculations on addiction, entertainment, art, life and, of course.
Why david foster wallace should not be worshipped as a. Twenty years ago, in february of 1996, little, brown and company published david foster wallaces 19622008 novel infinite jest. Infinite jest a novel that appears high on the list of books that literally all white men own. Burn is associate professor at northern michigan university, usa.
Infinite jest has become an exemplar for difficulty in contemporary fictionits 1,079 pages full of verbal invention, oblique narration, and a scattered, nonlinear, chronology. David foster wallace interview on infinite jest with. His nonfiction includes consider the lobster, a supposedly fun thing ill never do again, everything and more, and this is water. The interview turned up as we planned a radio show about that novels.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. It was a bold undertaking for the firm to publish a complex, challenging novel that spans over 1,000 pages and contains hundreds of endnotes, many quite lengthy and all printed in very small type. A few weeks ago, i wrote the foreword for infinite summer, a summerlong collective read of infinite jest, david foster wallaces bigass novel and one of my favorite books. In may, 2014 the first annual david foster wallace conference was hosted by the illinois state university department of english. Infinite jest 1996, by david foster wallace alltime 100. David foster wallace interview on infinite jest on wpr.