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.

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:

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: 100

Mapping the Zone: A Thomas Pynchon discussion podcast
Podcast Episodes
Bleeding Edge: Wrap-up with @Byron's Glowing Filament [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:50:20
We've finished another Pynchon book and convene once more to talk about Bleeding Edge; this time in its entirety. We're joined by Andrew, better known as Byron's Glowing Filament on Twitter and the creator of the Gravity…
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 40-41 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:50:33
We apologize in advance for some audio issues which presented themselves after we had finished recording. We've done our best to clean them up and make everything sound as good as possible.Information on the guest for ou…
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 37-39 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:49:01
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…
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 34-36 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:42:46
The article mentioned by Luke: “Hallowe’en? Over Already?” https://x.com/Ethelmer77/status/963687634483793920?lang=enIf you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters:Book…
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 31-33 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:29:41
If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters:Music: Mitch Hedberg - Mitch All Together, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart - Bob Newhart, Riot Grrrl musicBooks/Autho…
Bonus Episode: Fear and Loathing in America by Hunter S. Thompson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:34
We are off this week, so Kate has recorded a reading of Fear and Loathing in America by Hunter S. Thompson, taken from his "Hey Rube" column for ESPN Page 2.As always, thanks so much for listening!Email: ⁠mappingthezonep…
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 28-30 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:04:34
If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters:Films/TV: The Thin Man; In the Toilet (fan made song)Books/Authors: Thomas Pynchon’s Silicon Alley by Mike Godwin, The Th…
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 25-27 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:38:49
If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters:Films/TV: Archive 81(Netflix)Music: Big L, Notorious B.I.G., Jay-ZBooks/Authors: Hunter S. ThompsonIf you like what we're…