Infinite Jest: Il ne faut plus qu'on pursuive le bonheur

Infinite Jest: Il ne faut plus qu'on pursuive le bonheur

Author: Thomas Pynchon books discussed here! July 1, 2026 Duration: 2:35:16

How is a book this long, still this good, this far in? Gately gets a job, Marathe and Steeply converse and wax philosophical, and a young JOI helps his dad move a mattress. Put your empty glass of peppered tomato juice down somewhere and join us in this latest episode.

Next episode: Pages 503-601 (ending at “Orin’s smile wasn’t as cool as he though as he told the seated figure that that was a matter of opinion.”)

If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.

https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezone

If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters:

Books: Forget the Alamo, by Bryan Burrough, Chris Tomlinson, and Jason Stanford; David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest: A Reader's Guide, by Stephen J. Burn; A Reader's Companion to Infinite Jest, by Robert Bell and William Dowling; Elegant Complexity: A Study of David Foster Wallce's Infinite Jest, by Greg Carlise

Film/TV: Short Cuts (dir. Robert Altman, 1993)

As always, thanks so much for listening!

Email: ⁠mappingthezonepod@gmail.com⁠

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.social

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpod

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/

Merch: mapping-the-zone.myspreadshop.com

Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com


Dense, sprawling, and endlessly rewarding, the novels of Thomas Pynchon invite the kind of conversation that can last for hours. That’s precisely what you’ll find on Mapping the Zone: A Thomas Pynchon discussion podcast. Instead of dry literary analysis, this series offers the lively, sometimes meandering, talk of four dedicated fans unpacking these complex texts together. They approach each book as an adventure, tracing its winding plots, deciphering its historical and pop culture references, and debating the fate of its many peculiar characters. The tone is accessible and enthusiastic, driven by a genuine love for the material rather than an academic agenda. You’re essentially listening in on a great, ongoing book club discussion where the jokes are as welcome as the insights. Whether you’re a seasoned Pynchon veteran looking to compare notes or a curious newcomer daunted by the sheer scale of the work, this podcast provides a companionable guide through the zones of paranoia, coincidence, and profound humanity that define the author’s world. It’s a space where the pleasure of the text is taken seriously, one deep-dive episode at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Mapping the Zone: A Thomas Pynchon discussion podcast
Podcast Episodes
Bonus Episode - Billy Woods "Hiding Places" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:53
Finally wrapping up our hiatus episodes, Will is back, and he's stirring the pot again. Inside, listeners will find a lyrical brief on billy woods & Kenny Segal's Hiding Places, making this a meaningful step in the evolu…
Bonus Episode - The Franchiser by Stanley Elkin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:54
If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com…
Bonus Episode - R.A. Lafferty [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:36
On this week's bonus episode, Luke discusses the short stories, novels, and life of R.A. Lafferty. Give it a listen? Yeah, you should.If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a do…
Infinite Jest: "I just need to put the book down and go for a walk" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:43:25
It's a beautifully tragic series of scenes we get with this section of the book. While this is some of the best writing in the novel, thus far, it's also tremendously upsetting and hard to get through. There's still plen…
Slow Learner: Low-lands [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:53
If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com…
Against the Day: Part 2 Wrap Up (w/ Brett Biebel) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:03:02
It's been nearly a year and a half since we started covering Against the Day and we've finally come to the end of Part 2, Iceland Spar! With us for this wrap-up is friend of the show (and basically the fifth host) Brett…
Infinite Jest: "Mmmyellow?" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:42:31
The story begins to take more shape, the characters are becoming more dynamic, and the world is making as much sense as it can in this section of the book. Join us as we talk about the importance of Marathe's conversatio…
Against the Day: Ch. 30-31 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:44:27
If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com…
Against the Day: Ch. 29 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:34:37
Time: var. moments of social cavitationLocation: var. locales of New Old Mexico, esp. northernSubject: Quiselgur, El Chavalito "Frank Traverse"Concerns: - rigid and constricted manifolds - succulent flora - turnaboutReco…