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/lit/ - Literature

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4128272 No.4128272[DELETED]  [Reply] [Original]

I'm about to finish 2666 and I've got both of these fuckers here. Which to read first, w

>> No.4128279

>>4128272
The Recognitions is the superior book.

>> No.4128302

>>4128272
Infinite Jest is the superior book.

>> No.4128309

Gaddis is a better novelist than DFW. Just sayin'.

>> No.4128311

Their both overly bloated, but I'd go Jest.

>> No.4128352

>>4128302
Anyone who has read both wouldn't say this.

>> No.4128380

>>4128272

V,

>> No.4128427

>>4128302
>>4128352
Absolutely no contest. Recognitions blows anything and everything DFW out of the water. To chose Infinite Jest over The Recognitions is to choose water over wine. It's goddamn dumb, and this guy >>4128302 never read anything of Gaddis's, let alone The Recognitions.

>> No.4128445

>>4128272
I have about 100 pages of The Recognitions left and I consider Infinite Jest to be my favorite book. That's not to say that it's necessarily of higher quality than Gaddis, just that it's more enjoyable while still being of very high quality.

The Recognitions is extremely dense and is much more difficult a read than Infinite Jest, but is also really funny and profound and pretty great altogether.

I'd say read Infinite Jest first but definitely clear some time afterwards for The Recognitions. If you read Infinite Jest first you'll definitely want to read The Recognitions afterwards, but Gaddis is always likely to slow you down and make you want to move onto more light reading.

>> No.4128446

>>4128272
I've finished neither but I'll comment on both:

The Recognitions (500pgs in) : Gaddis is monastic in his dedication to religion, art, art history, the processes by which art is made, the history of color production and materials. He is hip in his awareness of the art underground and art high society and the economics of art. He is merciless towards swaths of people, manages to make the most religious figures enchanting. Ties art and religion together seamlessly through prophecy and discipleship and revelation.
Not sure what he's working towards but it looks to be grand. The recognitions have to do with art forgery and the best critics being able to recognize the best forgeries in a game of cat and mouse until the possible point where (as the artist in the story does) he can forge without recognition. Though then the subject of his own recognition as a painter comes up. That's where I am now

DFW (100+pgs): DFW talk about what he already knows. The first chapter is kind of neat, very expressive style, sets up a little mystery not dissimilar to a King work. Second chapter looses all style and things get progressively more boring about peoples various weed habits (one guy eats frosting yuck). A tape is mailed to an ambassador and no one can stop watching it. It happens again at a house. A Terrible Ebonics chapter drops out of nowhere, ugh. Finally there is a robbery scene where a bunch of bland observations are made about how suburban homes all are arranged similarly. The End

>> No.4128449

>>4128311
>Their both
>Their

You don't eve know the difference between "their" and "they're". Why are you even here? Why are you even spouting an (uneducated) opinion?

Begone. For God's sake, begone.

>> No.4129124

Infinite Jest is a lot more accessible.