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Infinite Jest: Part II  By  cover art

Infinite Jest: Part II

By: David Foster Wallace
Narrated by: Sean Pratt
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Editorial reviews

"Pratt is a startlingly good narrator, dry and expressive, with the kind of vocal control that evokes dozens of characters with only slight but very distinctive variations of accent and affect.... Pratt hears the humor in Wallace's work, and lets you in on the joke without resorting to overheated wackiness. His control and stamina are impressive." (John Schwartz, The New York Times Book Review)

Publisher's summary

A gargantuan, mind-altering comedy about the Pursuit of Happiness in America set in an addicts' halfway house and a tennis academy, and featuring the most endearingly screwed-up family to come along in recent fiction, Infinite Jest explores essential questions about what entertainment is and why it has come to so dominate our lives; about how our desire for entertainment affects our need to connect with other people; and about what the pleasures we choose say about who we are. Equal parts philosophical quest and screwball comedy, Infinite Jest bends every rule of fiction without sacrificing for a moment its own entertainment value. It is an exuberant, uniquely American exploration of the passions that make us human - and one of those rare books that renew the idea of what a novel can do.

©1996 David Foster Wallace (P)2012 Hachette Audio

What listeners say about Infinite Jest: Part II

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not a second part. only the second half .

do not buy this if you've already read the book. The story doesn't continue. This is just the second half of the book.

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A great re write

I read IJ 1 way back when, was amazed by the insight into an addictive personality, but, of course, assumed the story was merely a framework for the descriptions of drugs and drug use and that environment. The story was intriguing but I assumed an artistic decision to wreck the story in order to highlight the drugs. I guess I thought it was a statement about the critical question of choice (free will), when a choice takes away that option (free will). I really enjoy the stories of people who lose free will and plunge down a dead end road, (slavery). These stories show the rest of us what we really have, and give a glimpse of what reality should be about (perhaps.). However, I realized from IJ 2, that I had ignored the main character, (Hal). So, now I understand the who and why of Hal. Mr. Wallace went ahead and threw himself into the book and we see everything through his eyes, as we see everything through the eyes of every author, but as author and character. This confused me until I caught the right sentence.

As for Bob Hope, I think the explanations were off, that is, descriptions of perception and inner dialog under the influence were lacking the critical insight, which, I think again, is the secret intention of the books, which, perhaps, is the author trying to figure out what Bob Hope does to himself, thinking.

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A fascinating story that leads us.....nowhere

The journey is maddeningly intriguing. Some of the scenes are brilliant. The author has no regard for chronological time - so following along is a challenge (and part of the fun). Eventually, the plot lines seem to be coming together for a grand conclusion. However, the neat and tidy ending that seems to be hovering just around the corner never arrives. Oh well. I guess the point is to enjoy the journey. Brilliantly narrated - which surely enhances the experience.

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Infinite Jest "Best book ever"

If you could sum up Infinite Jest: Part II in three words, what would they be?

Best book ever

What did you like best about this story?

Everything

Which scene was your favorite?

It's all good

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

You can not make a film of this book. And I hope nobody ever trys

Any additional comments?

I am sorry and happy to announce : "this is the best book ever written."

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Shaquanda

At the end of IJ 1 I thought the stories would intersect and conclude. This work is full of boring tangential nonsense unrelated to anything. The verbosity and hundreds of foot notes make it all the more difficult to listen to. While I can’t define what was compelling about IJ 1 IJ 2 was almost torture to finish.

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