My book club decided to read Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace for our next book. I’ve had this book for a very long time, but never read it. I’m not even sure why I brought it to Madison with me when I moved last year — I think maybe when people came over I wanted to look like the kind of person that might read Infinite Jest. Dorky, right?
After we decided on this book for our next read, I pulled my enormous copy off the shelf and started to page through it. On the front cover I found a dedication from my uncle — apparently he gave it to me when I graduated from high school in 2004! He wrote,
Kim -
Congratulations. Surviving high school is an accomplishment. In the spirit of your future studies I offer you the funniest thing I’ve ever read. something light… before the serious stuff begins.
G.
I forgot all about that dedication, it was fun to come across it again.
Just about the same time we decided on this book for our book club, I came across a summer reading project to finish the book called Infinite Summer. The project started Monday, June 22 and goes through Monday, September 21. There is a blog that is going to be organized by four different readers, plus a Twitter feed (@infinitesummer) you can follow. They’ve already posted a reading schedule (75 pages a week) and a set of suggestions for reading the book, plus weekly updates to keep people on track with where the book is at.
I think even if my book club gets sidetracked, I’m going to try and keep up with the book through September. I’m pretty far ahead on book reviews to post regularly, so if my number of books read goes down drastically I think that will be ok — I’ll still be able to post a review a week.
I was also thinking about turning my progress on Infinite Jest into a weekly update, maybe on Fridays — would anyone find that interesting?
Have you read Infinite Jest? Know anything about the book? Care to join me for my Infinite Summer?
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I’d find it interesting. I looked at the book once, when he gave his now-famous commencement speech here at the local college, but didn’t find it compelling enough to commit to.
I know nothing about this book – sure, I would be interested in your weekly updates.
Oh, yay, I am in! This book has sat on my “to read” shelf for ten years, through three pregnancies and two moves. I’ve always just been intimidated by the sheer size of it. So grateful for the kick in the butt to begin, this will feel like I accomplished something this summer!
This has been on my TBR list for a few months now, thanks to bloggers like you.
Now I’m a little afraid to borrow a copy from the library.
That’s so cool that you rediscovered the dedication written inside! Infinite Jest has been on my shelf ever since it was released (what like 10 years ago!) It must be the size that has kept me from reading it, because it looks awesome and I’ve enjoyed Wallaces’ collections and non-fic.
I think the Infinite Summer is a great idea and I would love to follow your progress
I knew you were young, but I didn’t realize you’re that young. My son graduated from high school in 2005! Boy, do I feel old now.
I head of the project through John Green, and the fact that he keeps going on about how great this book is does make me want to read it. It won’t be this summer for me, but some day. Anyway, I would definitely be interested in weekly progress reports.
I’m doing Infinite Summer too! I’m a little behind right now though haha. How are you keeping up? It’d be great to hear your weekly thoughts. I’m keeping notes as I read, but they’re a little too nonsensical to post. =)
It takes a lot to get into. If i weren’t trying to read it with this group, I’d abandon it, because the first 200 pages or so don’t seem to go together at all!
Excellent, that’s good news. Too bad I haven’t read anything this week to update on
I think the size is scary too. It’s not a book I feel like I can just carry around for casual reading here and there — once I sit down to read a portion, I commit to reading a lot of pages.
There might be a lot of copies out, there are a lot of IJ readers in the group.
I know! That was one of the biggest reasons I decided to commit to it — I feel like a book given with some thought deserves to read no matter how intimidating it might be.
Ha ha, I’m sorry you feel old! Your son is just about the same age as me though
I think it’s good… at least, I’m confident that it’s going to get good. Right now all the strands are so spread apart that I get frustrated. I’ve been told that it comes together around page 223, so I’m sticking it out.
I was ahead, but after 4th of July and this week I’m behind. i was going to catch up last night, but ended up playing Scrabble and watching tv instead. I like the idea of an update because then if I do write a review I’ll have things to go back to. Or, just a record that I managed to finish the book!