Infinite Jest: Wherein We Begin By Beginning

Infinite Jest: Wherein We Begin By Beginning

Author: Thomas Pynchon books discussed here! February 1, 2026 Duration: 1:33:02

Thirty years ago, a monumental book was published which shook the literary world and completely revolutionized post-modern fiction. Not Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace, or the first book in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, and it wasn't Fight Club (1996 was a pretty stacked year for media). David Foster Wallace's magnum opus, Infinite Jest was released on 01 Feb 1996 and has remained a staple in the "books you should read" discussion ever since.

On this first of many episodes covering the book, Kate and Cody discuss the author, his life, his work, and what this book meant to the literature world both then and thirty years later.

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

Link to the Infinite Jest trailer (2024): https://youtu.be/gW39U8nxoQU?si=UcO_avdROTly6NAa

Film/TV: The Wire (2002-2008)

As always, thanks so much for listening!

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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
Shadow Ticket (for real this time) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Shadow Ticket: Spoiler Free review [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Against the Day: Chapter 20 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Against the Day: Chapter 19 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:29:06
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Duration: 1:56:48
This week we wander through Jeshimon and track Reef as he rescues his father's harried remains from the just yet supernatural decay they'd have suffered in the desecrate airs of the town. Though Webb may rest his childre…
Against the Day: Chapters 16-17 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01:22
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Duration: 3:16:20
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Against the Day: Chapters 12-13 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:16:16
As with the Chums from the center of the Earth, we return from temporary distraction, and yea, what hath time wrought? What did this planet itself cradle slumbering beneath its frozen extremities? What idols have we foun…