A word on why I wanted to read this book...

I have not had many mental exercises since I left school. Working for Apple was sort of difficult on some days, and the several dozen days I had as a Substitute teacher in San Francisco were challenging in their own way...

But reading Infinite Jest reminds me of reading the unfinished German novel A Man Without Qualities or stumbling my way through Stendhal's The Red and the Black, two books that I struggled with, wrote 20 page essays about, and put away without finishing. I was challenged, but I was also busy, back then.

It's weird to think I read those books 3 and 4 years ago, respectively.

Anyway.

I need a mental exercise. I need something that tries my patience a little bit, that makes me want to guess at themes and structure and characterization and time period. And Infinite Jest is fitting the bill.

I usually read and listen to music at the same time - I can't do that with Infinite Jest. Is anyone else having that same difficulty?

And as for reading posts, stop around page 300 and let everyone catch up.