IJ Footnotes

[Paul Mackin]

On Tue, 19 Mar 1996, RICHARD ROMEO wrote:

> I find it odd that some waited until the end to read the footnotes-if you 
> did you wouldn't know of JI's Film histography e.g. (ala Citizen 
> kane-giving you all the elements like Slothrop's desk that will 
> eventually turn up later in the book)   

You could be right about certain of the footnotes. The filmography _did_
happen to be one of the few I read early. (even before one was "supposed
to")

I had done a quick perusal of footnotes before even starting page
one, which was what I based by general reading stategy on. 

Even upon reading about the Yoric Production Company or
whatever the exact name was for the second time, I didn't pick up on 
Infinite Jest. Another post today kindly credited me with that
bit of intelligence, but alas I wasn't so perceptive.			

Great book in what ever order you read it. Doubt if it would matter much 
if you read it back to front. When I recall it now, it's not in any
linear order. I recall it like a dream, though there was nothing very
dreamy about it. Well, I'll have to think about that one.

One more thing (getting into still another thread), I certainly didn't
find myself laughing uproariously much of the time, though there were
enough occasions. To me the book is more touching that outright funny.
You didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

I'm glad everyone is showing such patience with all the attention
being devoted to a nonpynchon book. Maybe there is a general sense
of needing to vent our excess energy on something brand new. To calm the 
frustration of being kept waitng so long by our true . . . well whatever
he is. Trying not to get mushy now.

But just think of the excitement had there been a Pynchon List back
in 1973.

					P.