IJ study archive

First-time reader index

spoiler-free guides, one per scene

Already finished the novel? These guides are for a first read. When you have read it all, there is a companion walk back through the book for finished readers: the second read.

All 194 scenes of the novel (185 body scenes + 9 narrative endnotes), in book order, as first-time-reader pages. Each entry shows only the print page range — no scene titles or gists (URLs carry the archive's scene basenames; the visible text does not).

Year of Glad — Hal's interview in Tucson

scenepages
001Pages 3–10
002Pages 10–11
003Pages 11–17

Year of the Depend Adult Undergarment — Erdedy waits

scenepages
004Pages 17–27

1 April, Year of the Tucks Medicated Pad — the professional conversationalist

scenepages
005Pages 27–32

9 May Y.D.A.U. — Orin calls

scenepages
006Pages 32–33

Y.D.A.U. — the Medical Attaché sits down to watch

scenepages
007Pages 33–37
008Pages 37–38
009Pages 38–39

Hal and Mario at night

scenepages
010Pages 39–42
011Page 42
012Pages 42–49

Y.D.A.U. — the pump room

scenepages
013Pages 49–54
014Page 54
015Pages 54–55
016Pages 55–60
017Page 60
018Pages 60–61
019Pages 61–63

As of Y.D.A.U. — the Incandenza story so far

scenepages
020Pages 63–65
n024↳ Endnote 24 (from page 64) — read mid-scene
021Pages 65–66

Muscimole

scenepages
022Pages 66–67
023Pages 67–68

Y.D.A.U. — Kate Gompert

scenepages
024Pages 68–78
025Pages 78–79
026Pages 79–85
027Pages 85–87
028Page 87

30 April Y.D.A.U. — Marathe and Steeply

scenepages
029Pages 87–93
030Page 93
031Pages 93–95
032Pages 95–97
033Page 97
034Pages 97–105
035Pages 105–109
036Pages 109–121
037Pages 121–126
038Pages 126–127
039Pages 127–128

Poor Tony, C, and yrstruly

scenepages
040Pages 128–135

3 November Y.D.A.U. — phone calls

scenepages
041Pages 135–137
042Pages 137–138
043Pages 138–140
044Pages 140–142
045Pages 142–144
046Page 144
047Pages 144–151

The urine business

scenepages
048Pages 151–156

Winter, B.S. 1960 — a father's monologue

scenepages
049Pages 157–169
050Pages 169–171
051Pages 171–176
052Pages 176–181

Late October Y.D.A.U. — Madame Psychosis on the air

scenepages
053Pages 181–193
054Pages 193–198
055Pages 198–200
056Pages 200–211
057Pages 211–219

7 November Y.D.A.U. — Joelle's walk to the party

scenepages
058Pages 219–223
059Page 223
060Pages 223–227
061Page 227
062Pages 227–240

Enfield — the town, the hill

scenepages
063Pages 240–242
064Pages 242–258

6 November Y.D.A.U. — the Port Washington meet

scenepages
065Pages 258–270
066Pages 270–281
n090↳ Endnote 90 (from page 272) — read mid-scene
067Pages 281–283

Orin's story

scenepages
068Pages 283–299
069Pages 299–307

7 November Y.D.A.U. — classes

scenepages
070Pages 307–312
n110↳ Endnote 110 (from page 309) — read mid-scene
071Pages 312–317
072Pages 317–321

8 November — Interdependence Day: Eschaton

scenepages
073Pages 321–342
074Pages 343–367
075Page 367
076Pages 367–375
077Page 375
078Pages 375–376
079Pages 376–379
080Page 379

Interdependence Day evening — Mario's movie

scenepages
081Pages 380–386
082Pages 386–391
083Pages 391–394
084Pages 394–395
085Pages 395–399
086Pages 398–410
087Pages 410–418
088Pages 418–430
089Pages 430–434
090Pages 434–436
091Pages 436–442

Y.D.A.U. — Gately at the podium

scenepages
092Pages 442–449
093Pages 449–450
094Pages 450–461
095Pages 461–470
096Pages 470–475
097Pages 475–489

Pre-dawn, 1 May — the mountainside

scenepages
098Pages 489–491
099Pages 491–503
100Pages 503–507
101Pages 507–508
102Pages 508–527
103Pages 528–530
104Pages 531–538

Randy Lenz, out at night

scenepages
105Pages 538–547
106Page 548
107Pages 548–549
108Pages 550–553
109Pages 553–559
110Page 560
111Pages 560–562
112Pages 563–565
113Pages 565–567
n234↳ Endnote 234 (from page 565) — read mid-scene
114Pages 567–574
115Pages 574–575
116Pages 575–589
117Pages 589–593
118Pages 593–596
119Pages 596–601
120Pages 601–619

E.T.A., Ennet House, and the A.F.R., cross-cut

scenepages
121Pages 620–626
122Pages 627–638
123Pages 638–648
124Pages 648–651
125Pages 651–654
126Pages 654–655
127Pages 655–662
128Pages 663–665
n269↳ Endnote 269 (from page 665) — read mid-scene
129Pages 666–673
130Pages 673–682
131Pages 682–686
132Pages 686–689
133Pages 689–692
134Page 692
135Pages 692–698
136Pages 698–700
137Pages 700–701
138Pages 701–706
139Pages 707–711
140Pages 711–714
141Pages 714–716
142Pages 716–719
143Page 719
144Pages 719–721
145Pages 721–723
146Pages 723–724
147Pages 724–728
148Pages 728–729
149Pages 729–736
n304↳ Endnote 304 (from page 732) — read mid-scene
150Pages 736–747
151Pages 747–751
152Pages 751–752
153Pages 752–755
154Pages 755–769
155Pages 769–774
156Pages 774–782
157Pages 782–785
n321↳ Endnote 321 (from page 785) — read mid-scene
158Pages 785–787
n324↳ Endnote 324 (from page 787) — read mid-scene
159Pages 787–795
n332↳ Endnote 332 (from page 795) — read mid-scene
160Pages 795–808

Gately's bed

scenepages
161Pages 809–827
162Pages 827–845
163Pages 845–846
164Pages 846–851
165Pages 851–854
166Pages 854–864
167Pages 864–876
168Pages 876–883
169Pages 883–896
170Pages 896–902
171Pages 902–906
172Pages 906–911
173Pages 911–916
174Page 916
175Pages 916–934
176Page 934
177Pages 934–938
178Pages 938–941
179Pages 941–958
180Page 958
181Pages 958–960
182Pages 960–964
183Pages 964–971
184Pages 971–972
185Pages 972–981