I’ll do the same thing I did last time someone said they loved this book and recommend Erin Morgenstern’s The Starless Sea that came out the same year. Similar vibes.

Also, I say a little prayer for Clarke’s further productivity.

Growing up, my violin teacher told me a saying (I assume translated from German) “he who buys expensively buys cheaply.”

Many aren’t cowardly, but they’re cosplaying. It’s very silly.

Sounds like you both need an x100

71 is too young to lose her. We are bereft.

It does. It takes 40 or 50 pages I think. You almost made it.

(of course not much wiggle room doesn’t mean no wiggle room. This being Torah…)

The geography is contested. Sea of Reeds is pretty well agreed upon. Not too much wiggle room in יַם-סוּף

All this talk has me wanting to hit the river this weekend to see if I can spot some manatees.

If you went as a tourist, maybe you went to the Crystal River. Great spot to see a herd. I’m not too far from the Ichetucknee River which is smaller, but I’ve seen manatees there several winters in a row.

I think I read the book too far after its heyday to encounter the fandom. It’s an astonishing book. It taught me a lot about depression and addiction.

What does it mean to take a book seriously? Especially a comedy as funny as Infinite Jest?

I guess times change and that’s whatever, but if an artist doesn’t want you recording them, you’re stealing.

If it’s just the audience who’s complaining you’re ruining their experience then you’re not a thief, but you are an asshole.

Or nice people who are slightly or more than slightly paranoid. I don’t think we need to read bad motivations into anyone.