People Holding Infinite Jest

Published Jan 03 2011, 11:43 AM by Eugenia Williamson

This weekend, I met someone who had read Infinite Jest twice. "I read it thrice," I told him. My one-upmanship wasn't entirely honest -- the third time was only a partial. Now there's a blog that makes me feel/seem like even more of an affected asshole.

People Holding 'Infinite Jest' is a brand-new Tumblr that collates photos of people holding Infinite Jest. We tracked down the anonymous (for now) correspondent responsible for the site.

What do you hope to accomplish with this blog?
I hope that someone sees herself on this blog and says, "I am constructing my persona around a book that is like if Mel Brooks wrote A Canticle for Liebowitz. THAT IS BONKERS!!!!!" And then they have a crisis and decide to read Evelyn Waugh or Anthony Powell or even Orson Scott Card. Also, a sitcom would be nice.

It's been said that people buy Infinite Jest but don't actually read it. Do you think this Tumblr will reinforce or debunk that notion?
Hmmmmmmmm. That is a good question. I don't actually have any real insight into whether people read the book. What I'm noticing is that people like taking pictures of it, especially of them holding it. I don't think that's ever been true of any other book aside from like The Anarchist's Cookbook or maybe Jonathan Livingston Seagull.

Do you think there are enough photos of this kind to post a new one every day?
Yes. But only for a set amount of time. I expect my interest in the project will dwindle before the supply of pictures does. Anyway, there's always Photoshop.

Are you the first person to use "Yo La Tengo" as a pejorative?
What's pejorative about that? Who hasn't wished they looked like a rock critic?

Filed Under: #david foster wallace, #infitejest, #reading

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Filed Under: #david foster wallace, #infitejest, #reading

Boston Phoenix
People Holding Infinite Jest
Published 1/3/2011 by Eugenia Williamson
This weekend, I met someone who had read Infinite Jest twice. "I read it thrice," I told him. My one-upmanship wasn't entirely honest -- the third...

Boston Phoenix
Posthumous David Foster Wallace novel to be released next April
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The Pale King, which, as some of you may remember, was the book the late David Foster Wallace was working on around the time of...

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