Infinite JestInfinite Jest
Score Modern
What it's about
In a near-future North America, a film called "the Entertainment" is so pleasurable that anyone who watches it loses interest in everything else and dies. Its copies are sought by a group of Québécois separatists in wheelchairs. Meanwhile, at an elite tennis academy outside Boston, Hal Incandenza, a gifted teenage player whose father made the film, is hiding a marijuana habit. Down the hill, Don Gately, a former burglar, works at a halfway house for recovering addicts.
Why it's worth reading
It's on TIME's list of the best novels and is one of the most influential novels of its generation. It's a huge, funny and sad book about addiction, entertainment and loneliness.
You'll love it if you liked
Good to know
It's over 1,000 pages, with nearly 400 endnotes, some long, that are part of the story. It's demanding, and many readers use a reading guide.
By the numbers
- Readers87 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics59 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller48 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #30 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #120 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #240 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Funny, Thought-provoking, Moving
More by David Foster Wallace
A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again: Essays and Arguments
The Pale KingIf you like this, read next
Breakfast of Champions
Good Omens
Making Money
I Who Have Never Known Men
Gravity's Rainbow
The Memory PoliceExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Infinite Jest worth reading?
Yes. It's on TIME's list of the best novels and is one of the most influential novels of its generation. It ranks #240 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 82.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Infinite Jest about?
In a near-future North America, a film called "the Entertainment" is so pleasurable that anyone who watches it loses interest in everything else and dies. Its copies are sought by a group of Québécois separatists in wheelchairs. Meanwhile, at an elite tennis academy outside Boston, Hal Incandenza, a gifted teenage player whose father made the film, is hiding a marijuana habit. Down the hill, Don Gately, a former burglar, works at a halfway house for recovering addicts.
How long does it take to read Infinite Jest?
About 28 hours (1104 pages), or about 8 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Infinite Jest?
If you liked it, try 2666 by Roberto Bolaño, Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov or The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt.