False Start

So I started reading last night. I made it about three paragraphs before I fell asleep. Not an auspicious beginning.

Since I have next to nothing to report about page one, except that it seems to indicate an academic setting, let me provide a little background about what I know about Infinite Jest.

I know very little. This is mainly by design. I refuse to read introductions or even the back blurb before starting a book. I like to go in as untainted as possible by what other people have to say about a book.

This means that I have no idea what Infinite Jest is about. All I do know is that it’s considered a monumental work of extreme importance. Although that’s an assumption based on the reverent tones used when talking about it, since the truth is I don’t know many people that have ever finished it.

In fact, the main thing that I do know about Infinite Jest is it’s considered a difficult read. While I didn’t make it very far into it last night, my initial impression was as follows:

This makes more sense than Ulysses.

So far so good.

You are reading my live blog of Infinite Jest. Start at the beginning.