Resources to help with picrel? Reading it for the first time

[Anonymous No.22372128]

[Anonymous No.22372136]

There are plenty you can find with a google search, including one that annotates obscurities in every page. Also, I recommend reading it digitally, the endnotes are much less cumbersome that way, and you can quickly look up any of the 5-dollar words Wallace loves so much.

[Anonymous No.22372140]

>>22372128
Just enjoy the writting and dont worry about plot or timeline.

I even skipped that chapter that was like 20 pages of the rules of a game that some kids at the tennis created that was something like Risk meets Tennis. Who gives a fuck.

[Anonymous No.22372155]

Dictionary

[Anonymous No.22372326]

>>22372140
Like this anon said, the plot doesn't start to make sense until about 1/4 of the way in, but you are mostly reading for the prose and humor. This is a book that people either love or hate, so if you get 50 pages in and don't like it just put it down. I personally was hooked at the second chapter with the weed addict. You can also skim some of the boring parts like the Madame Psychosis radio show, Gately at AA meetings, and Mario's puppet movie, these don't really add anything to the plot.

[Anonymous No.22372590]

>>22372128
Has anyone actually finished this? I suspect this is shelf decoration for a lot of faux-intellectuals.

[Anonymous No.22372608]

>>22372128

This book is long: 1000 pages of small font and, very often, minimal line breaks. If you cannot handle that, you will struggle even if you find the subject interesting.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the book. There are sequences and characters I was always more interested in getting to, but the book didn't bore me. Even the more long winded chapters (or footnotes) often made me laugh or would contain some point of interest. If the humour doesn't resnonate with you, then I can imagine it being a very tough read.

You don't need any help reading it. The blurb at the back is all the context you need (if that). The prose is relatively straight forward, and in the chapters where it is less clear, that obfuscation has an obvious purpose.

Just be prepared that it will take you a while to finish, and enjoy the ride.

[Anonymous No.22372630]

>>22372140
>skipping the Eschaton chapter
It was one of the best parts of the book

[Anonymous No.22372640]

>>22372590
It's not a hard read, man. Took me a couple months at a leisurely pace. People see the size of it and all the end notes and think it must be this challenging book, but the prose is really readable, almost conversational in some places. At times it's kinda boring but other than that there's nothing difficult about reading it.

[Anonymous No.22372763]

There is no plot. The only reason to read this is if like DFW's style and if you care about tennis and drugs. Everything in the book is a metaphor for something else

[Anonymous No.22372786]

>>22372640
This. The style is conversational english with occasional O.E.D words thrown in. It drew me in and I've finished it twice.

[Anonymous No.22372855]

>>22372128

[Anonymous No.22373094]

>>22372128
I'm also reading it for the first time OP, having fun so far.

[Anonymous No.22373199]

>>22372136
So many of the words straight up don't show up on my Kindle's dictionary. It's very annoying.
>>22372326
I'm 400 pages in, and the plot is barely making sense. So far, it's been talks of a life ruining entertainment piece, the tennis kid likes weed, his older brother is a dick, his special brother is adorable, the AA guy is recovering (my favorite chapters), the two Quebecois criminals got done in and I don't care about anyone else in that book. . The writing keeps me going, but I'll be lying if I said I give a shit about most of the characters, or the plot so far. They're all so damaged and weird, and it's all sad, but also sometimes unreasonably funny (the wheelchair gang lmao) . Grotesque, and adorable. It's the entire fucking spectrum, all the time and it's exhausting.

[Anonymous No.22373681]

>>22372128
after a few tries over the years, I finally was able to get through it earlier this year.
i wrote down a bit of a summary and my thoughts on what i read after each section.
didn't really use any other resource, but been meaning to read some supplement but that's on the back burner for now.

[Anonymous No.22374229]

>>22372128
Skim it a couple of times first. Then read it like you normally would.
It gives you a better sense of what the book is about and how it's structured, and you will find interesting things that will make you want to read it.
Skimming is kind of like a trailer for a film, but for a book.

[Anonymous No.22374270]

>>22372763
These essays collected in a supposedly fun thing I'll never do again are a good supplement. This is Water also encapsulates some of the important thematics of infinite jest, so a fine thing to read to get in the mood in an approachable way.

I think the best resources are 2 DFW interviews available on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GopJ1x7vK2Q

and especially this one. see especially where he talks about addiction stemming from the latin adducere, religious devotion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8juL7cdGj40

watch those, absorb what DFW is saying and you'll be ready to read and enjoy Infinite Jest. But really I would want to simply enable you, empower you, to enjoy it as is, just reading it. Once you get sucked into it is wildly entertaining (dare I say, addicting? hehe)

[Anonymous No.22374289]

>>22373199
I finished the novel a few months ago and I still don't know what happened entirely. It basically requires google searching or re-reading to get. Still the most entertaining book i've read in a long, long time.

[Anonymous No.22374296]

>>22374270
I wish I could edit this post - I meant to post the full german interview, which is the best primer for IJ:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGLzWdT7vGc

[Anonymous No.22374633]

>>22374296
god that sound guy is a fucking prick

[Anonymous No.22375049]

so why did he kys himself?

[Anonymous No.22375057]

>>22372128
why do zoomers need help with everything? Why don't you read it yourself, form an authentic opinion and research what you need to comprehend it?

[Anonymous No.22375071]

This article cleared up a lot of questions for me and pointed out things I missed. It’s designed to be read once you’ve finished it though. Of course if you don’t care about spoilers you could just read it now.
http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/ijend

[Anonymous No.22375128]

Most memorable section, anonymous?

For me it's when Orin is at the door lamenting over his consumerist youth

[Anonymous No.22375174]

>>22375049
Bad brain chemicals

[Anonymous No.22375178]

>>22375049
He realized that he was in fact insincere and phony. The universe has a sense of humor

[Anonymous No.22375180]

>>22375057
They grew up asking google, never learned to think.

[Anonymous No.22375187]

>>22375178
Can you really retroactively deem your past self as insincere and a phony if at the time they were unaware of it? I get it somewhat but I feel it would be more accurately labeled as lacking self awareness

[Anonymous No.22375192]

>>22372128
It gets good after 300 pages (I dropped it after 50)

[Anonymous No.22375201]

>>22375071
oh fuck

[Anonymous No.22375204]

>>22375071
lol. This is a joke and nothing but conjecture.

[Anonymous No.22376045]

>>22375128
Gately and Fackelmann's binge will stay with me forever.

[Anonymous No.22376136]

wait he does drugs in the book? guys idk, i don't do drugs are u sure this is a good book for people like me??

[Anonymous No.22376272]

>>22372128
just watch a couple lectures

[Anonymous No.22376483]

more important than secodary resources is re-reading it - as is the case with many books, specially maximalist novels. Re-reading Joyce, Pynchon, Gaddis is extremely rewarding and absolutely enjoyable.
You'll be lost up to around page 300, after that it clicks and starts flowing very well.
I always say this, it took me twice as much time to get from page 1 to 300 than it did from 300 to the end.
The second time you read it though it'll make sense from the start and it will be much more enjoyable.

[Anonymous No.22376683]

>>22376136
Smoke some weed or have a pill addiction before reading the book.
That is if you want to read the book and experience it fully.
If you stay a sobercuck you won't get it.

[Anonymous No.22376760]

>>22375128
The part where Hal confesses to Mario that he's addicted to weed, Steeply talking about his schizo dad that's addicted to M*A*S*H*, Bain's "nubbin" story with Orin, and Gately's battle with the nucks.

[Anonymous No.22376814]

>>22372140
anon skipped the only good part of the book I'm dead

[Anonymous No.22376824]

>>22375128
Poor Tony's withdrawal and seizure, the death of Lucien Antitioi.

[Anonymous No.22376839]

>>22372140
You skipped Eschaton, but not Endnote 110? You're wild.

[Anonymous No.22376841]

>>22372630
Right! It is so funny.

[Anonymous No.22376847]

Get ready for maximum comfy when Gately takes a joyride. The Erdedy chapter at the beginning is also amazing.

[Anonymous No.22376852]

>>22375128
When Hal learns to grieve. Any section involving Joelle, especially her at the party. Erdedy waiting for weed of course, Clipperton. Halfway through btw, grrat book.

[Anonymous No.22376896]

>>22372128
Just read it, you don't need anything to accompany. Its just a hodgepodge postmodern nonsense romp. Read and enjoy (or read a little bit and discard, whatever).