Chris Almeda > Recent Status Updates

Westward the Course of Empire Takes its Way: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

This was a pain in the ass to read just like Infinite Jest but it doesn’t have the same payoff. It’s a commentary on another short story collection I haven’t read, which is really allegorical for a commentary on literature and postmodern society that would inform the rest of DFW’s career. Just a little bit over my head tbh. Sorry.

Amundsen: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This femcel ass book.

Everything is Green: ⭐️⭐️1/2

This is also a slightly better version of here and there. But the last couple lines kind of do just throw a wrench in it.

Say Never: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

This is just a slightly better version of here and there.

My Appearance: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

This is the most overtly and straightforwardly DFW has laid out his ideas on postmodern irony vs sincerity.

Here and There: ⭐️⭐️1/2

It’s a short story about people in a relationship who can’t communicate with each other. I would’ve figured this would be one of the best stories here.

John Billy: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This one is fire because it’s DFW at his best—writing from the perspective of a big dumbass telling a ridiculous story and then getting fucked at the end. This comes back up in Infinite Jest.

Lyndon: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

This one is really good but seems a little weird. Not sure why we’re choosing Lyndon Johnson but not going very far into who he really was.

Girl with Curious Hair: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Guy from Naperville becomes an edm kid. Loved that we clarified her penis shaped hair was shaped specifically like an erect penis. Made me think it would’ve been funnier if it was flaccid and just hung over her face.

Luckily the Account Representative Knew CPR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Nice little prose exercise. Some signature DWF streams of consciousness.

Little Expressionless Animals: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Really strong opener. Some of the existential dread about existence and self comes up in the broom of the system, and we get even more here. Really interesting to early versions of concepts eventually maxed out in infinite jest.

To Reach Japan: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Women are trash.

“The only pronouns I care about anymore are me and you” 🤮🤮🤮

Kind of waiting for it to come back around. From what I know about John pistelli, he can’t just be here to cry about pronouns in 2024-25.

The major strength of the novel is how well he nails the insufferable elder millennial English major, the world he actually knows. The big weakness is how utterly he’s failed to nail the zoomer. It feels like a guy in his mid 40s reporting from the Gen Z exhibit at the zoo.