Eat it, David Foster Wallace

June 13, 2017 12:06 PM

Comedian Jamie Loftus celebrates one year of eating Infinite Jest.
posted by Alterity (23 comments total)

So much fiber.
posted by ferret branca at 12:29 PM on June 13, 2017

Poor Tony Krause.
posted by n9 at 12:36 PM on June 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

I thought she might be making the Reader's Digest Condensed edition, but it's only a passing Jest.
posted by zamboni at 12:41 PM on June 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Ingest.
posted by pracowity at 12:46 PM on June 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

I'll be 'that guy' and ask for context. I'll even admit that I've heard of, though never read, any David Foster Wallace. Is this performance art meant as a rejection? I found this particularly critical article about Infinite Jest.

I went through a period of reading brilliant, self-indulgent, ultimately very depressing novels in college (Yukio Mishima comes to mind) and never want to repeat this. Should I avoid Infinite Jest?
posted by eye of newt at 12:59 PM on June 13, 2017

I went through a period of reading brilliant, self-indulgent, ultimately very depressing novels in college (Yukio Mishima comes to mind) and never want to repeat this. Should I avoid Infinite Jest?

IJ has some really funny parts, but depression is a major theme, and I wouldn't really say it's very uplifting. Brilliant, self-indulgent? Check. Ultimately very depressing? Probably.
posted by thelonius at 1:05 PM on June 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

Here is a little bit of context. It's the post where she announces she'll be eating it but honestly, it doesn't really provide very much context.
posted by WaylandSmith at 1:20 PM on June 13, 2017

If I had to eat a novel, it'd definitely be Bleak House.
posted by Fizz at 1:28 PM on June 13, 2017

She'd do better, I think, to swallow the Little Book of Calm.
posted by Naberius at 1:35 PM on June 13, 2017 [13 favorites]

What's with all the mustard...isn't eating a book difficult enough?

If someone gave me a choice between eating paper and mustard I would be like "Paper, please."
posted by serena15221 at 1:45 PM on June 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

A scoop of Dijon mustard, and it wouldn't make any difference if it was paper or actual food.

Or waterboarding.
posted by lmfsilva at 1:50 PM on June 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

I went through a period of reading brilliant, self-indulgent, ultimately very depressing novels in college (Yukio Mishima comes to mind) and never want to repeat this. Should I avoid Infinite Jest?

Yes.

As somebody who went through a DFW phase I'd point toward all his short stories as much less self-indulgent and (ahem) much more digestible, if still depressing. IJ isn't too long for itself but I wonder if it would've been easier published as a trilogy or something.
posted by solarion at 2:00 PM on June 13, 2017

so far, i am loving this book!
There's a review for Amazon.

Was this hardcover or paperback?
posted by MtDewd at 2:02 PM on June 13, 2017

If someone gave me a choice between eating paper and mustard I would be like "Paper, please."

Cashier: Paper or plastic?

Me: Paper. ::squirts mustard on paper bag::

Cashier: ................
posted by Splunge at 2:12 PM on June 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

so is she pooping footnotes now or what
posted by grumpybear69 at 2:17 PM on June 13, 2017 [10 favorites]

That's nothing. I made a lovely stew from The Goldfinch and Oliver Twist and served it to some winsome orphans.
posted by betweenthebars at 2:35 PM on June 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

I tried eating a book once but my appendix flared up.
posted by Floydd at 3:11 PM on June 13, 2017 [13 favorites]

She is my hero for today.
posted by old_growler at 4:06 PM on June 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

so is she pooping footnotes now or what

It's a paper trail.
posted by Splunge at 4:18 PM on June 13, 2017

That's getting close to some Tehching Hsieh level of commitment.
posted by gwint at 5:35 PM on June 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

That's getting close to some Tehching Hsieh level of commitment.

Yet again, I show up for snarking and leave with learning. Cheers.

Also, this is awesome and she is awesome.
posted by Samizdata at 7:09 PM on June 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

"I'm not gay but I am eating the pgoat"

hilarious
posted by pickinganameismuchharderthanihadanticipated at 12:22 PM on June 14, 2017 [1 favorite]

I was hoping this project was called Infinite Digest
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 8:52 AM on June 16, 2017 [1 favorite]