Infinite Jest in the App Store

To the left, the App Store rating for the iOS version of David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest. The most hilarious element, for a novel with a halfway house as a principal setting: “Infrequent/Mild Alcohol, Tobacco, or Drug Use or References.” O RLY? No one who’s read the novel could possibly describe the drug use therein — or sexual content or violence, for that matter — as infrequent or mild. Unless, of course, they were on drugs.

That must be it: the App Store is on drugs.

I don’t mean to suggest that those under twelve not be permitted to read Infinite Jest. Nor do I mean to suggest that the novel should be available with a higher age restriction. I would salute any reader inspired to try Infinite Jest. But I don’t think a youngster would get very far. Matters of syntax, vocabulary, and range of reference would have something to do with it.

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