dagblog - Comments for "Infinite Winter: The Hurt of Smart and Talented"

Thanks for this ACLULU.

Michael Maiello — Sat, 06 Feb 2016 23:11:00 +0000

In reply to You blogged about Infinite

Thanks for this AGCLULU.

Infinite Jest is one of those books that I can't imagine as an audio book and that I can't imagine adapting for theater or film. But, if the audio book works for you, I might give that a try. I have no hope that it will ever be a movie, which is ironic, given the story.

You blogged about Infinite

A Guy Called LULU — Sat, 06 Feb 2016 22:35:07 +0000

In reply to Infinite Winter: The Hurt of Smart and Talented

You blogged about Infinite Jest a couple years ago or at least mentioned it in a blog and whatever you said encouraged me to want to read it. I went for the audio version which I only listen to on long drives and I have ended up listening to some parts several times and still not all of it. All in all not the best way to give a book its best chance but nevertheless I have found it fascinating for some hours on end. If asked to write an essay on it for a class I would surely get an "f". About the most meaningful thing I can say about it is thanks for tuning me onto it and that I look forward to more about it.

A quick story that both Infinite Jest and your discussion of language brings to mind involves a friend some years back who was nearing the end of his marriage. He had reluctantly agreed to go to counseling and we discussed it one night over a bunch of beers. He said they were at the point of talking about him and his personal habits and that there were a lot of questions about drinking and possible drug use. Later in the discussion I asked if he felt that the counseling was useful; had he learned anything valuable. "Yeah", he said with a grin, "I learned that you are and alcoholic".

So, I first encountered it

Michael Maiello — Sat, 06 Feb 2016 20:35:29 +0000

In reply to I am going to read this book,

So, I first encountered it when it came out and I still have the copy from back then (junior year of college!) But one of the interesting things about it is that the structure anticipates online reading in some many ways, with footnotes to the text and footnotes that reference other footnotes and the like. The book predates Kindle and other e-readers by a decade but structurally, it might be easier and more fun to read on a Kindle.

I read his unfinished novel The Pale King on Kindle. It has a similar structure and is nearly as long. I read it on iPhone and actually found the format helpful. The smaller screen kept me from getting lost in the sea of words that can be Wallace in trade paperback and I did appreciate being able to jump back and forth from text to footnotes in a precise way.

And, of course, you're welcome. I can unleash my wrestlers on your behalf in any thread where it seems necessary. All that muscle confuses the self-defined alphas.

I am going to read this book,

tmccarthy0 — Sat, 06 Feb 2016 20:04:07 +0000

In reply to Infinite Winter: The Hurt of Smart and Talented

I am going to read this book, so I just bought the kindle version and I bought a companion piece that discusses the complexity of Infinite Jest. Hopefully, I can contribute to what should be a fascinating discussion of his work. I've never read him before.

Also, might I add, thank you.