Starting this book tonight, any tips?

>>8377046
Just make sure to kill yourself before you read it

>any tips?
Yeah : don't.

>>8377051
why not?

>>8377058
I was just meming, friend. But your thread is a waste of time and you should just read the damn book.

>>8377062
/thread

>>8377046
It gets grating if you try to read too much of it at once so I'd say don't be afraid to put it down after every section or two as needed.

Multiple bookmarks

One bookmark for the story and one for the end notes. One chapter at a time.

>>8377046
this page may help you anon
http://infinitesummer.org/archives/215

>>8377046
don't do it, it's a shit meme book.

hey man, I think its good you're reading it and its certainly an apt diagnosis of our metanarrative and maybe furthermore- in some ways- a remedy thereto. Just make sure you don't take in everything he suggests as a fact about our zeitgeist (this isn't to say don't read too far into it: you definitely should as the book is very layered).

Skip to page 692.

Also don't listen to these memers, it's literally the GOAT book. Don't worry if the first 250 or so pages don't make sense or seem like a cluster duck of characters. They will all start to tie together.

>>8377743
>>8377046
>>8377049
>>8377051
Is this a feels books?
Will I cry?

>>8377748

Some parts are hilarious, some are weird, some are kind of fucked up and others are really depressing (like the part I said to skip to).

The book literally has everything.

>>8377754
>The book literally has everything.
Is this the Book of Life?

>>8377748
anon be cry

take notes! I cant stress that enough I wish I took notes

have multiple bookmarks

take notes, make character lists, just write stuff you think might be important

>>8377051
This

I posted on lit--including shitposting about IJ--for years before I started reading it and I was disappointed to find it truly is a meme.

>>8377881
Why is it bad?

>>8377046
is there a single person that has read this book that hasn't announced it to the world?

>>8378784
Aren't you a special little guy, too!

>>8378794
yes

>>8377689
Wow. Actually helpful advice. And no replies.

UNDERRATED POST

>>8377046
I looked at the summary and I thought it was a boring mixture of random shit.

>>8377046
Don't forget to feed the cats

>>8379240
It's both better and worse than it sounds. You should read it if it piques your curiosity at all, but it's not essential by any means.

>>8379276
>It's both better and worse than it sounds
What did he mean by this?

Anyone remember the passage that describes Hal's little stoner kit?

>>8380432
I am reading it now, want a picture?

>>8377804
Agreed about character lists. Had trouble the first couple of times I picked it up. Could only focus on the tennis Academy stories and the junkie stuff is good when it's possible to read. He does the whole "the cay" nigger talk. "Den day dun gon end guffed" kind of shit I can't keep up with. But yeah three stories, not even sure what the third story was now I try and think about it.

>>8380443
page number(s) would be great!

>>8379276
peaked*, just a friendly correction, anon.

>>8377804
>take notes
just read the book multiple times. Maybe start taking notes the 2nd time. I enjoyed the clusterfuck of the first reading.

>>8380432
not as noteworthy as some other scenes imo.
I think its more a "hide that you smoked-kit" as it only has 3 items (pipe, lighter, weed ) that are not about hiding signs of weed consumption.

>>8379725
the book both lives up to his hype and absolutely doesnt live up to its hype. some parts are pure genius imo, other are extremely complex and tiresome to follow (especially for non native speaker like me) and the overall story is hard to grasp, and only kind of rewarding.
its a rollercoasterride, from start to long after you finisih.

>>8377716
I hope you choke on your food

>>8380496
Not sure if it's what you meant but page 49 is when it starts, the part where Hal smokes in the ventilation room below the academy. Something about the whole chapter made me want to smoke again

I'm about halfway through at the moment, OP. The Eschaton scene makes it all worth it.

>>8380498
Nice bait boyo, here's your (You)

>>8380572
Thanks. ive read the book a few times but wanted to point that passage out to a friend.

yea i had to quit a few years ago because it was just making me paranoid unless i got super drunk before smoking.

>>8380660
I just don't smoke that often. I think DFW really hit the nail on the head with the part about secrecy being vital to Hal's smoking, made me feel like a teenager again

>>8380730
he's very perceptive

>>8377046
only tip you need is you need two bookmarks

>>8377046
Don't expect it to have Joyce-tier or even Pynchon-tier prose. You'll be disappointed, as I was.

>>8377046
Read the end notes after

>>8381078
ok

>>8381078
Why?

>>8382872
are you stupid? why would anyone read them first?

>>8382875
Nice meme, why not during though

Ignore the endnotes. they are just a massive waste of time.

I'm about 5% in, which is equal to roughly 4 hours of reading so far. Can anyone tell me, will a plot develop at any point? It's obvious that DFW is a very talented writer, but I don't know whether it's worth reading all the way through if it's just chapter after chapter of mundane situations being described with brilliant prose. I'm determined to finish it regardless, but I'd like to be enthusiastic about it.

>>8383107
I'm on page 70, no discernible plot yet but I've heard several times that if I get about 200 pages in I'll have an aha moment and it will fall into place. Either way DFW's prose and humor keeps me interested

Read the footnotes while you're reading the actual text. I've studied up on this novel, and the footnote placements are, apparently, intentional and are used to break up the novel in a particular way. So, to get the full experience of the text, I'd advise you read the endnotes in tandem, no matter how huge of a pain in the ass it is. For this task, I'd recommend a Kindle, and it is the ONLY time I woudl recommend an e-reader, period.

>>8383107
There is a plot, but there honestly isn't much of one. The importance of the novel rests in its nuances and themes. If you're looking to be excited, then it's probably not the book for you because it is a slow read that requires a lot of patience. I'd recommend it to the emotionally numb.

>>8377046
lol