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Why Some Hard Books are Worth Reading

A couple of months ago I was contacted by Evana Ho (regular contributor to ACTWrite, the ACT Writers Centre’s monthly member magazine) because she was reading Infinite Jest in 30 days and planning to write about the experience. I agreed to an interview and we ended up meeting at The National Library of Australia to share my experiences reading the novel. Just like pretty much any time I end up discussing Wallace with someone (regardless of how well I know them), time flew by.

A month later and the article, Why Some Hard Books are Worth Reading or How I Read Infinite Jest in 30 Days, has now appeared in the August 2013 issue of ACTWrite.

I would read, and write about reading, Infinite Jest, by David Foster Wallace. And I would read it in 30 days, which was how long I had to write this article.

Ordinarily, 30 days would be more than enough time to read a single book. But this isn’t an ordinary book. Printed in 8 point font, it spans 1,079 pages, including 96 pages of “endnotes and errata” in even smaller print. Infinite Jest jumps back and forth chronologically, features a massive cast of interconnected characters, and is best read using two bookmarks and with the Oxford English Dictionary secure in your lap.

Read it here: Why Some Hard Books are Worth Reading or How I Read Infinite Jest in 30 Days by Evana Ho.

[Thanks, Evana!]

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Last Updated on Friday, 09 August 2013 00:44  

The Howling Fantods