Infinite Jest is considered by some to be the best American novel since Gravity's Rainbow but it's a notoriously difficult read. I have it on my nook, but I haven't started it, and probably won't in that format, because it makes copious use of endnotes, which would be a huge pain in the ass on an e-reader.

I wouldn't recommend jumping into that right away. A lot of graduate students are going to struggle with a postmodern, allusion-heavy text like that.

Start with some of his short stories and see if you like those. I've had students in a contemporary lit class read this one before:

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/12/14/all-that-2
[Reply]

I personally love transgressive fiction, so my tastes are a little more risque than most. Aside from that, my literature preferences are more of a mile wide and an inch deep.

I still cannot make it through this without lying down.

http://chuckpalahniuk.net/features/shorts/guts

I've read the majority of his other novels, but that is by far the hardest for me to stomach.
[Reply]

Try out Barbara Kingsolver. I really like Prodigal Summer, then I'd move to Poisonwood Bible. If you like Hiaasen, you might like Kurt Vonnegut, though it borders on sci-fi, sort of.
[Reply]

I just got Dayton Moore's book. Plan to start reading it in five minute sittings in my "porcelain library."
[Reply]

Would you go as far as saying top 5?
[Reply]

Hamas I think Tim is looking for a read to enjoy as he stated.
[Reply]

No,wouldn't go that high but its still an enjoyable read.
[Reply]

'Tis, :-)

Hate to see Frank recounting this guy's journey.


[Reply]

You don't need to read Dean Koontz genre fiction to enjoy a read, dumbass.
[Reply]

Right on, I'll definitely give it a shot. What Stephen King book would you say is hands down the best?
[Reply]

For me it would be IT. I also love The Gunslinger,which is the first book of the Dark Tower series
[Reply]

I'm sure I've recommended Chuck in this very thread, albeit long ago. But if Hamas needs a voucher, I'll be his Huckleberry. It's dark, seamy stuff, but breezily written so it comes off more as 'scandalous!!' reading than a slog.

TimBone mentioned McMurtry, which would have been my next choice to pick up a long line of books. But if he liked that, I'd recommend Cormac McCarthy and Elmore Leonard. Both deal with sparse American settings and terse characters with wit.
[Reply]

This is about what I figured it would be with David Foster Wallace. I'll definitely look into the short stories to see if I can read him without hurting my brain too much. Thank's man.
[Reply]

I love these baseball themed books by Mark Harris: "The Southpaw" and "Bang the Drum Slowly."
[Reply]

That's why I didn't recommend him you condescending snob. Not everyone is into postmodern, allusion-heavy text, transgressive fiction about society's misfits or notoriously difficult reads. Not everyone is a hi-brow lit snob or seeking Gertrude Stein etc. He used the word "enjoy" or was it "enjoyable. "
[Reply]