Infinite Jest

1. The book is more than 1000 pages long with a huge collection of footnotes at the end,and some time two months ago and took it as a short-term goal to finish it before I turned 21. Although it comes bounded and enormous in one book,its really four or five books lumped together,none actually affecting the other.

2. Books are by definition,made of words-but I feel that something so extraordinary like Infinite Jest transcends its physical form,to me personally-it is what writing and fiction can be-ambitious,limitless,insane,having so many shades and tones to it,bizarre and fearless and absolutely crazy wonderful.

3. A good half of the book,just sprawls.At times,you'd have to endure 20+ pages with little cohesion or objective,and there are bits that pop out now and then that don't relate to anything or anyone.But quite often,I encountered a true piece of genius-and in my two months spent on this book-I've made countless markers and highlighted and pencilled for this parts that the book is now a tattered mess.

4. The main narrative,or what's meant to be-concerns a video that is so infinitely enjoyable,that viewers become permanently stuck in a catatonic state.I felt this bit had the most potential,but besides that-the book evolves and experiments constantly,plays to no rules whatsoever-this book has no doubt been one of the most difficult book I've read,but unlike the difficult kind of book I'd rather have burnt and never picked up in the first place-usually something so deliberately cerebral and inaccessible-Infinite Jest is a struggle because it has a shapeless identity,but its written with such an open and audacious heart that it'll take you through such unbearable ups and downs,at the end it'll be worth it.

5. Ok,the book just ends abruptly.With no real completion to any of the stories,but I take this as another minor issue.Since then,I've read three other works from the author: David Foster Wallace-who,sadly committed suicide in October 2008 after living with depression for 20 years.His ultimate legacy,Infinite Jest,will no doubt confound and amaze generations to come.

...