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Bibliography - September


I read one book in September. Scratch that I read half a book. Wait, wait, wait. Before you think I took things easy let me tell you about the book. It'a called Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. It's purported to be a modern-day classic. There was quite the buzz recently about Wallace as a movie about him was released, focusing on his life and suicide. It looked interesting. So I bought his Infinite Jest. It was promoted as possibly the last post-modern novel whatever that is...but it sounded good. As I waded my way through it I often time felt the jest was perhaps on me. A very difficult read. I'd put in about 2 hours a day and then put it down because I was so bloody confused by the narrative. The book weights in at over 1000 pages and while reading I Googled the title and learned hardly anybody finishes this damn book. I made it to about 52% through on my Kindle before throwing in the towel, or iPad if you will. And I did';t even look at the close to 400 endnotes.

Here's the description on Wikipedia, which perhaps I should have looked at before reading the book:

"The lengthy and complex work takes place in a North American dystopia, centering on a junior tennis academy and a nearby substance abuse recovery centre. The novel touches on many topics, including addiction and recovery, suicide, family relationships, entertainment and advertising, film theory, United States-Canada relations (as well as Quebec separatism) and tennis."

Given that, it's almost as if I read 5 books last month. Be that as it may mark this down as a DNF (did not finish). This may well suite a university literature studies class but it didn't quite suite me. I'm glad it was written well after my English literature studies. I think Chaucer was easier to get through than this.

I've read 49 books so far this year.
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