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/lit/ - Literature

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18420777 No.18420777 [Reply] [Original]

Why did lit's opinion on this book changed so much over the years? I remember it being much more favorable viewed years ago

>> No.18420787

>>18420777
No one here reads, they just meme. Can't remember the last time I discussed this book with an anon who did not like it and could actually offer more than memes.

>> No.18420811

On one hand: typical internet contrarianism. Look at me, I'm so elite because I find popular thing bad! Other hand: people annoyed by constant DFW posting. Many /lit/izens think this book has been discussed to death here, but they fail to realize we are constantly getting new users. So many of our guides feature Infinite Jest so it's no wonder new users will pick this book up, try to read it, probably fail or get confuse (although it's nowhere near as confusing as the other two meme trilogy books), and then they will come here and ask questions in order to get help with reading it. Let the new users discuss the book and ignore the thread. Personally, I love this book, but I vastly prefer DFW's nonfiction. I recommend to new users to read his essay collections before this.

>> No.18420821

>>18420811
>I recommend to new users to read his essay collections before this.
typical internet contrarian

>> No.18420826

>>18420787
this is the correct answer, and unsurprisingly it applies to about %80 of the books discussed here

>> No.18420828

>>18420777
>Believing anything pseuds say.
NGMI

>> No.18420841

>>18420787
I read it 4 summers ago. I didn't take much away from it, but it was enjoyable. Maybe I should reread it more critically.

>> No.18420867

>>18420841
You should read it again after reading all of DFW's essay and main inspirations. Hamlet, Brothers Karamazov, DeLillo's Underworld and White Noise, pretty much anything by Pychon. I think he mentioned Sylvia Plath once? Those are all the ones I can list off the top of my head, but I'm sure there's a list out there of books that influenced IJ.

>> No.18420911

>>18420867
I have read some essays since then, as well as Dosto/Shakespeare, I do need to check out Pynchon. I have been looking for something to read too.

>> No.18420918

i dont want to read it incase an art hoe judges me and i dont get my dick wet

>> No.18420923

>>18420777
There's some entertaining vignettes here and there, but the overall narrative doesn't come together or fall apart in a satisfying way. The length and structural complexity are just layers of obfuscation over a rather mediocre novel with few highlights.

>> No.18420924

>>18420911
currently reading gravity's rainbow. i made a post about it here >>18420711

>> No.18421495

Maybe more users actually did read it and now know how atrocious it is

>> No.18421500

>>18420777
it's our time now old man

>> No.18421527
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18421527

>>18420777
Checked, i guess.

I recently started reading it. I'm at page 270-something. So far i find it to be funny, odd, interesting and, at times, excruciatingly boring. I doubt it will prove to be life changing, but it's not bad at all.

>> No.18421538

I don't know if this is an unpopular opinion, but books like Infinite Jest and Gravity's Rainbow are not meant to be read straight through. They are better read over the course of like four months to a year. You should only read like 20 - 50 pages every week with those books.

>> No.18421557

>>18420777
I read it a few years ago. I didn't take much from it, but it got me through a pretty shit time in my life. If nothing else, the book sort of felt like a friend. Was sad when it ended.