Infinite Jest Book Cover

I have a friend who very much likes Infinite Jest, by David Foster Wallace. (This is an understatement.) Our friendship works well because I, too, like Infinite Jest, by David Foster Wallace. If fact, we both like all of David Foster Wallace’s books very, very much.

IJ has been on my mind almost constantly for the last year, due in part to the untimely death of the author and to this. I am 321 pages behind schedule. Somehow I’ll catch up.

So my friend asked me (jokingly) if I would make him a cover for his copy of IJ. Because I am a little slow on the jokes sometimes, I didn’t realize he was kidding and eagerly started drafting plans.

I think it turned out well. My friend is happy, which makes me happy.

It has three bookmarks: one for text, one for endnotes and one for favorite parts:

Topstitched cover with stamped title and author name:

And a hand-stamped inscription for the inside cover.

There a was no real pattern for this, so I winged it. It fits both the 1996 trade paperback edition and the 10 year anniversary paperback edition. These are the only two editions I own, whereas my friend has seven. So I’ve got some measuring and sewing to do.