Just finished my 2nd reading (spoilers)
My favorite passage this reading in the second slide. Loved Schtitt’s philosophizing on tennis. Definitely felt it could especially apply to any competitive endeavor. Kind of funny it’s delivered to Mario who is the least tennis inclined of the Enfield residents. But it does make sense Mario would induce that kind of erudition.
Shout out to the Mapping the Zone podcast. I found it after being about half way through this go around. That slowed progress down significantly due to going back over the parts they covered so far in the pod.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3QG0mWb2PpCcAUBHTIYzpL?si=4LLI9hJHSsuS85vqOe2D6g
So, finishing again definitely makes me want to go immediately into my 3rd, but I’ve got a neglected stack that needs attending. Definitely want to focus on John Wayne and the theory he’s an A.F.R agent:
Other questions: What’s the deal with Mlle. Luria P_____ ? Why is Steeply dressed as an (ill-disguised) woman when meeting with Marathe? Speaking of Marathe, do you think he and the A.F.R. Attack Ennet House too along with E.T.A after the novel’s end? My pet theory is Gately becomes the House Manager after Pam M.’s absence at the end (973).
Highly enjoyed Hal and Orin’s dialogues. They really endeared the reader to their characters.
My favorite end note was 304, about Struck’s research into the nature of the disabled A.F.R. and him wondering if it would seem conspicuous to use his name as a verb describing the collision between the trains and Canadian boys leaping across the tracks. Such a clever way of filling in backstory and world-building.
At the end of the book I felt there was a cathartic release with the episodes between the A.D.A’s dialogue with Pat M. regarding the aftermath of one of Gately’s pranks and Mickey’s wrenching account of his apology to his family. Seemed DFW was expressing how a kind of radical forgiveness could act as a self defense against cyclical toxic behaviors.
I could go on with praise for DFW’s wry mix of wit and pathos. Such great writing. Definitely the most re-readable of any book I’ve ever read.