BuzzSugar

Infinite Summer Tackles Infinite Jest 75 Pages at a Time

BuzzSugar — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:00:58 PDT

Always wanted to read David Foster Wallace's opus, Infinite Jest, but never had the motivation to get through it? The folks at Infinite Summer say it's time to start.

Freelance writer Matthew Baldwin recently launched the group reading project, which breaks down the 1,000-page-plus novel into somewhat more manageable 75-page chunks. The rules? "Read Infinite Jest, start around June 21st (if you want), finish around September 22nd (if you want), gloat about having completed the novel afterward (required)."

OK, so if you're just picking up the book now, you've got some catching up to do on the first week's section - but taking care of those first 75 pages and moving onto the next section is better than leaving the book untouched on your shelf for another year, right?

Having read Infinite Jest during one not-so-infinite Summer past, I believe it's well worth the time. And I may just pick up the book again to keep up with all the commentary on this site, including awesome weekly summaries of plot points and new characters, reading tips, and guest posts from writers who are also first-time readers of the book.

Are any of you doing this challenge? Any other previous readers of Infinite Jest have words of encouragement for first-timers?

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BuzzSugar's Must Haves For April

BuzzSugar — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:30:08 PDT

Yippee! April is here, and that makes me happy because the weather in my part of the country is lovely right now. But this month also contains some great entertainment stuff: one of my favorite annual celebrations, a really cool live radio event, and some buzzworthy new CD and DVD releases. Ready to dive into April (without any foolin')? Just hit "start."

Buzz News Roundup, 3/2

BuzzSugar — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 13:30:05 PST

Alexis Bledel will play a new intern in the ER series finale. - TV Guide
Jason Bateman will join George Clooney in Up in the Air, directed by Jason Reitman (Juno, Thank You For Smoking). - ComingSoon
Two more Virgin Megastores are scheduled to close: The Union Square location in New York City at the end of May and the Market St. store in San Francisco at the end of April. - Billboard
Alyssa Milano has landed the lead in an ABC comedy - just months after the network scrapped her last one. - Zap2it
David Foster Wallace's unfinished third novel will be released in 2010. - New York Times
The French film industry honored Dustin Hoffman and saluted Sean Penn Friday during a ceremony that saw its coveted Cesar for best film going to Martin Provost's Seraphine. - AP
Speaking of France, MGMT are suing French President Nicolas Sarkozy, accusing him of using its hit "Kids" in online videos without permission. - NME
The producers of The Sarah Silverman Program (including Silverman herself) are threatening to quit over budget cuts, leaving season three up in the air. - Reuters

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Buzz News Roundup, 12/10

BuzzSugar — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:30:37 PST

ABC will show Wipeout opposite the Super Bowl. - The Hollywood Reporter
Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler are in negotiations to star together in an untitled comedic bounty hunter movie. - ComingSoon
Five people, including Martha Plimpton, have joined the cast of Matthew Perry's Showtime pilot. - Zap2it
Kiss has decided to hit the studio next year to record its first new album since 1998's Psycho Circus. - Billboard
And speaking of circuses, Britney Spears's album topped the charts this week, making it her fifth No. 1 album. - Billboard
John C. Reilly has signed on to play the love interest to Marisa Tomei's character in an untitled comedy. Jonah Hill will play Tomei's son who comes between the two lovebirds. - Variety
A commencement speech by David Foster Wallace will be turned into a book. - New York Times
Keanu Reeves will play a samurai swordsman in the epic period film 47 Ronin. - ComingSoon

Rest In Peace, David Foster Wallace

BuzzSugar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:30:43 PDT

I'm still wrapping my head around the news that author David Foster Wallace died over the weekend of an apparent suicide. At just 46 years old, he was one of the more inventive, original, and observant writers of our time.

In his all-too-brief career, Wallace used his incisive prose in a wide variety of forms, including essays, short stories, and two novels, including the gargantuan, more-than-1,000-page (if you count the footnotes) Infinite Jest. I read Infinite Jest, footnotes and all, over one very long Summer, and I'll never forget the way its sprawling cast of characters wormed its way into my thoughts.

Infinite Jest wasn't his only memorable work, though, not by a long shot. He put a different spin on journalism in his essay collections, including his skewering of the Illinois State Fair and hilarious retelling of his experiences on a luxury cruise in A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again. His short stories, too, were a unique window on our popular culture and an adventure to read. The word "genius" gets thrown around a lot, but I truly believe it might be the most apt label for Wallace. His work had as many detractors as fans - but it always got people talking.

As a reader, I will miss the chance to explore his work - but of course, I just knew him as words on a page. My thoughts go out to his family and friends.

Photo courtesy of Steve Rhodes

The Cruise: The Best Kept Travel Deal Secret?

LearnVest — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 03:05:45 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

We’ve always been a bit wary of cruises. At worst, we have visions of retirees playing bingo while a lounge singer croons early Michael Bolton. At best, we foresee David Foster Wallace style lobster-and-jacuzzi breakdowns on the high seas.

But, you know we love a deal. And to travel. And we’re sensible if nothing else.

Despite their oft cheesy rep, cruises can be a surprisingly affordable and stress-free way to travel. Lodging, food and transportation are taken care of, and you can visit several cities on one trip without having to deal with the repacking and planning hassle–and at a fraction of the price of a ground itinerary.

And from now until mid-May is when you can snag the best deals on a cruise (up to 20 percent discount) by scoping out a repositioning cruise. For serious savings, we can deal with a few shiny, gold spiraled staircases.