3 ms·
here's a hack for reading infinite jest: use two bookmarks - one in the main story and one in the endnotes. here's another hack that is tougher: read it in less
by throwlaplace 7y ago
here's a hack for reading infinite jest: use two bookmarks - one in the main story and one in the endnotes.
here's another hack that is tougher: read it in less than a week. you simply cannot appreciate the book if you do not have all of the different plots and characters fresh in your head (BTW I make the same recommendation for all long classics eg war and peace).
about the merit of the book: it is one of the few books that i've read that evoked a visceral reaction in me - i felt manic and strung out (like many of the characters) while reading it. social commentary aside i think that passes bar for worthwhile literature.
- i_am_proteus 7y agoThe second bookmark for the endnotes is critical.
- scubbo 7y agoI shudder to imagine the experience of reading Infinite Jest in physical form. Having an ereader that could jump back-and-forth between the main text and the endnotes was invaluable.
- seriesf 7y agoReally? I first read it on a Kindle and it was totally infuriating. The jumping is not very convenient, certainly not anywhere near as fast as two bookmarks.
- throwlaplace 7y agoOne thing about long books on e-readers is you don't have the psychological satisfaction of feeling like you're making it through the book (which you can feel by the number of pages that change hands with the paper book)
- barryhoodlum 7y agoThere's one footnote that ends up being a punchline, about five words long. The few seconds spent flipping from the page to the footnote lent it a certain comedic timing that would usually be impossible to portray in a book. That really stood out in my mind and I don't think it'd be quite the same by clicking a hyperlink.
- dx7tnt 7y agoJust tear it in half..