30 years later, is "Infinite Jest" the best or the worst?
We made our hosts read (some of) Infinite Jest, the thousand-page novel by David Foster Wallace that turns 30 this month, to answer the question once and for all: Do we have to read this book?
The publishing world hailed Wallace as a genius voice of his generation when Infinite Jest became a bestseller in 1996. Interest in the book has spiked many times since then: with Wallace’ death by suicide in 2008; again after accusations in 2012 that he had abused and stalked women; and again now that Infinite Jest is 30. If you want to check it out from the Seattle Public Library, you'll have to get in line. But there’s no hold time for this episode of Meet Me Here.
This episode discusses sexual assault and stalking. Please take care while listening.
Guest: KUOW producer Will James
Book recommendations:
Sponsored
- Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
- Lit by Mary Karr
- On the Road by Jack Kerouac
- Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
- We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
Event recommendations from this week’s episode:
Merlantis at Base Camp Studios in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood, through March 27
My Circus Valentine at the Bellingham Circus Guild, Feb. 12-14, 20 & 21
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Jeannie Yandel
Special Projects Editor
Jeannie Yandel is a special projects editor focusing on podcasts and broadcast shows. She created and co-hosted the KUOW podcast Battle Tactics For Your Sexist Workplace and ran and edited KUOW's podcast about local curiosity, SoundQs. She also co-created and co-hosted KUOW's YouTube interview series, Are We Going To Be OK?. Previously, she was senior producer for The Conversation and KUOW Presents, and was Executive Producer for The Record.
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Kyle Norris
Producer
Kyle Norris is a producer who contributes to KUOW’s daily show, SoundSide. He also reports for NPR’s arts and culture desk and “Life Kit” podcast.
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Phyllis Fletcher
Editor
Phyllis Fletcher edits stories and shows at KUOW. Her previous work has reached audiences across the Northwest and around the world through NPR and its stations, American Public Media, The New York Times, Wondery, and Springer academic press. The Public Media Journalists Association named Phyllis its inaugural Editor of the Year, and the University of Washington inducted Phyllis into its Communication Department Hall of Fame.
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