Big Book Challenge: Intro to "Infinite Jest" Part 4 

Phenomenal. I watched all 4 parts. Dr O'Bryan I really appreciate what you did here, must've been tough without an audience. IJ is my favorite novel of all time. 1st time reading it = confusion but enthralled by the humor and writing style. 2nd time = ok I'm not nearly so confused and can piece together what's happening plot-wise much better. 3rd time = WHOA I SEE ALL THESE CONNECTIONS - so many details that are linked in some cases across hundreds of pages. There are a few old message boards online filled with insights from IJ fans unraveling mysteries.

I'm on page 700 of my fourth read of Infinite Jest, and, thanks to this, I think I now have some idea about part of what the book is about :-)

This helped SO MUCH. Thank you! One takeaway I had after reading was that it's kind of a horror novel too. All of the most atrocious things happen to everyday people in very realistic ways that could (in some way or another) happen to any of us. Makes me want to be more empathetic towards others.

The music video in question is "Calamity Song" by The Decemberists.

Michael, this was awesome - all 4 parts. Thank you for sharing you knowledge and passion.

Now I am knowing more about a book i haven't read thank you

Wow I wish I had this dude as a college professor.

I love how the librarian lady is laughing through all of it. Would have loved to read it when this book club was started. Thanks a lot for all the context, it is an amazing book.

Thanks so much for uploading this! I've learnt so much about the book!

DO: Get absorbed in the intensity and flow of the writing itself-- for example, quite early in the book Ken Erdedy (I think) decides he is going to have one last blowout binge before he quits smoking weed forever. So the whole scene is him obsessing over all the details (stockpiling food and movies for the binge, leaving just the right video message on the TP so that if someone from work calls he will remain covert, obsessing over whether his dealer has called and staying off the phone so he doesn't miss the call) and it is DFW's writing itself (detail and stream of consciousness) that conveys the obsession of the addict and his love of/enslavement to that which he is addicted... What sticks out in my head at this moment is him (Ken) watching the roach crawl down into the shelving... such an obscure detail but totally gets the obsession of the addict. Wonderful intro, sir... I have read IJ three times and your lecture turned me onto the literary conversations going on that I, not being a student of literature itself, was unaware. Gonna read IJ again soon (informed by your commentary). Favorite book of all time-- nothing quite like it before or since.

Fantastic! Thank you so much, really enjoyed this!

Currently reading the book and these videos were so helpful! Thank you so much. Also, greetings from St. Louis! I go to achool at Webster Univeristy

A great resource companion is the book "Elegant Complexity" by Greg Carlisle.

Thank you!

Thank you! Great series!

This was great, thank you.

thank you for a brilliant lecture

Great material, I really enjoyed this lecture.

Ahhh bruh, that was great but I need the whole semester. I’m hooked

Thank you that was very informative and illuminating. I now have the confidence to not continue reading infinite jest because I realized that I am not into encyclopedic novels--and never was.