Here, as in all of his work, wallaces achievement was to make thinking about the effects of postmodern life, and thinking about thinking about them, one of. Its been a very long time since the last time i blogged, but now i think i will be back for real. In a sprawling, wild, superhyped magnum opus, david foster wallace fulfills the promise of his precocious novel the broom of the system. Burn is associate professor of english at northern michigan university, usa. Everything ive ever let go of has claw marks on it 606. We use cookies to give you the best possible experience. At the top of a hill is the enfield tennis academy, and at the base of the hill is the ennet house. The buzzing, claustrophobic energy of infinite jest, wallaces mammoth 1,079page satire of america, immediately placed him in the company of pynchon and delillo wall street journal.
With regard to the basic 14 plot line, the setting for the majority of the action is enfield, a fictional suburbia town outside of boston. The lack of physicality is a bummer, but i feel its vastly compensated by having access to everything id like to read in seconds. Free delivery worldwide on over 20 million books we use cookies to give you the best possible experience. Annulation in infinite jest im almost done with infinite jest and ive noticed that david foster wallace brings up annulation a lot. 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. Detailed summary, analysis and reading guide bright. Jan 16, 2007 the novel infinite jest is the story of this addictive entertainment, and in particular how it affects a boston halfway house for recovering addicts and a nearby tennis academy, whose students have many budding addictions of their own. Sep 03, 2012 i first tried reading infinite jest in the summerfall of 2010. Infinite jest is the name of a movie said to be so entertaining that anyone who watches it loses all desire to do anything but watch it. I have three helpers to infinite jest, each purchased at different readings of the great novel. Sep 10, 2016 its been a bit of a journey on this one. Infinite jest by foster wallace, david paperback book the fast free shipping. The novel infinite jest is the story of this addictive entertainment, and in particular how it affects a boston halfway house for recovering addicts and a nearby tennis academy, whose students have many budding addictions of their own. Infinite jest by david foster wallace, 9780316306058, available at book depository with free.
They are not boring bibliographic details, but rather an integral part of the text. David foster wallaces infinite jest is a postmodern novel with a premodern message. Infinite jest is a 1996 novel by american writer david foster wallace. A book is also a considerate option when giving to an acquaintance such as. To fully understand what wallace was up to, the book bears being read, and reread, with talmudic focus and devotion.
That was the project embarked upon back in april by american english professor kevin griffith and his 11. Steven asin infinite jest is the perfect book for the kindle paperwhite. A book is also a considerate option when giving to an acquaintance such as a coworker. First edition stated first printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 of late authors magnum opus.
The book depository coupon codes save 10% w may 2020. I have the old kindle2 so endnotes were a little bit laggy but they link back and forth from the main text easily enough and i. As the novel unfolds, various individuals, organizations. Technically, since the book was originally published in 1996, it is hypothetically set around 2014. Equal parts philosophical quest and screwball comedy, infinite jest bends every rule of fiction without sacrificing for a moment its own entertainment value. Infinite jest by david foster wallace 71,477 ratings, 4. Infinite jest david foster wallace first edition signed. He is author of david foster wallaces infinite jest continuum 2003. This deluxe paperback editionfeaturing flaps, new cover art, and a new foreword by tom bissellcelebrates the 20th anniversary of the original publication of infinite jest. Whether its drugs, sex, or fame, the novels primary goal is to examine the need for these addictions and show that it is possible to addicted to addiction itself. In fact, its take on the very nature of entertainment itself perhaps foresaw the age of vanity and social media, as seen through the prisms of tinder, facebook, twitter and instagram. A study of david foster wallaces infinite jest, and david foster wallaces infinite jest.
Infinite jest by david foster wallace, first edition. 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. Infinite jest is a novel written by david foster wallace. Partly this was because i was reading it in situations when the weight and bulk of the physical edition would have been a big hassle, with infinite jest this is more of an issue than with a lot of other books. In the forward, dave eggers admits that this isnt a book that you can read. They are items that provide hours of enjoyment for the recipient.
Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Infinite jest by wallace, david foster and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. That was the project embarked upon back in april by american english professor kevin griffith and his 11yearold son sebastian. Segel stars as the critically acclaimed writer in end of the tour, which tells the story of the fiveday interview between wallace and journalist david lipsky, played by jesse eisenberg. I felt compelled throughout to read it aloud, such was the almost poetic quality of it. But if you are seeking something other, then this book will not disappoint.
Aug 27, 2014 crack out your copy of infinite jest, and recreate it in lego. Equal parts philosophical quest and screwball comedy, infinite jest bends every rule of fiction, features a huge cast and multilevel narrative, and questions essential elements of american culture our entertainments, our addictions, our relationships, our. Infinite jest, in other words, can be exceedingly frustrating. Wallace, who railed against irony, wanted to be sincere in his writing. At the very least, infinite jest, his new, 1,079page novel including 90 pages devoted to esoteric endnotes, gives a whole new twist to the word infinite. I ordered 2 books from book depository on february 3rd, 2017. Its a long story, with over pages, but if you are hungry for literature, this one is for you. Each one has good material, but for an overall or first read of the book. Infinite jest by david foster wallace free download. In the novels future world, the united states, canada, and mexico together compose a. Technically, since the book was originally published in.
A gargantuan, mindaltering comedy about the pursuit of happiness in america set in an. Infinite jest, book by david foster wallace paperback. Infinite jest 20th anniversary edition special edition by. Crack out your copy of infinite jest, and recreate it in lego.
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. Jason segel definitely read all of infinite jest before. Producing, promoting, and developing innovative comedy and spoken word entertainment in northern ireland. You start the book having no clue when it is happening and who the various characters are. Of course, its exhausting to read such a mega book. 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 9780349121086 by wallace, david foster. Certainly infinite jest requires some interpretive work, as well as the plain old effort involved in devoting oneself to finishing a book that concludes at page 1079, after close to 100 pages of notes and erratanot to mention reading it, as wallace hopes, twice. This huge volume will prop open even a castles gates. Infinite jest is both sad, depressed and funny and even 25 years after it was published in 1994 remains relevant to the modern age. Feb, 1996 infinite jest by david foster wallace 1,079 pages.
Infinite jest 20th anniversary edition special edition. Apr 23, 2011 i just finished reading pages 71 in infinite jest. And the bouncing backandforth is a feature, not a bug. This is a reading of an excerpt of the book infinite jest by the late david foster wallace, my favorite author. As the novel unfolds, various individuals, organizations, and governments vie to obtain the master copy of infinite jest for their own ends, and the denizens of the tennis school and the halfway house are caught up in increasingly desperate efforts to control the movie as is a cast including burglars, transvestite muggers, scam artists. Book has light shelfedgecorner wear else bright and clean, tight and square with no markings or tears. Oct 18, 2016 infinite jest explores the idea that all humans are addicts and examines how the chosen drugs particularly entertainment of late 20th century americans eat them alive. They are a onesizefitsall solution to the problem of what to buy for a loved one. Infinite jest by david foster wallace book analysis. The plot of infinite jest takes place in a somewhatmoredystopian future uni. I first tried reading infinite jest in the summerfall of 2010. Unquestionably, infinite jest required great ambition and focus to write, and requires a bit of ambition and focus to read as well.
Apr, 2009 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. Discover book depository s huge selection of david foster wallace books online. 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. The novel is a interconnected sequence of events, told out of timeline order, that focuses on addiction in all its forms. The book was edited by publisher little, brown and companys michael pietsch, who has recalled cutting about 250 manuscript pages.
Infinite jest, the title of david foster wallaces gargantuan new novel, is a kind of inside joke. Infinite jest has a reputation for being one of those books that everyone starts and no one finishes. I read the kindle version and it worked pretty well for me. I was wondering if someone could explain it to me, not necessarily in the context of the book, but just as a concept in general. Infinite jest by david foster wallace, first edition abebooks. Infinite jest by david foster wallace overdrive rakuten. It came amidst and around an apartment move, a college graduation, and a job transition. It is an exuberant, uniquely american exploration of the passions that make us human and one of those rare books that renew the very idea of what a novelcan do. I absolutely adore this man and his work and i tried my best to do a proper.
Everybody is identical in their secret unspoken belief that way deep down they are different from everyone else. So while this book does contain many postmodern conventions, its ideas about humanity arent postmodern at all. Infinite jest first edition signed david foster wallace. Apr 22, 2020 book depository is the worlds most international online bookstore offering over 20 million books with free delivery worldwide. At the top of a hill is the enfield tennis academy, and at the base of the hill is the ennet hou. I made it through the first 200 pages or so, and was none the wiser. Book depository is the worlds most international online bookstore offering over 20 million books with free delivery worldwide. Reviews of infinite jest david foster wallace wiki.
Infinite jest by david foster wallace, 9780349121086, available at book depository with free delivery. Beyond the ease with which one can lookup footnotes, consider the following. Feb 07, 2016 infinite jest, in other words, can be exceedingly frustrating. Infinite jest explores the idea that all humans are addicts and examines how the chosen drugs particularly entertainment of late 20th century americans eat them alive. Now you can get flat 10% off on all czech republic books purchase only at the book depository status.
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