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Wondered what the book was, and if they were referring to a real book/author, don't think I'll read it, though. Since the two years I saw this wonderful film, one of my favorite authors took his own life, Ned Vizzini.
Always best to try and remain upbeat, that includes watching/reading more uplifting and fun material than something that you find depressing, of course.
Yes, Dean was probably the most intriguing character, plus John Magaro is a terrific actor!
"The battle for the soul is fought in the forum of art."

Just came here to ask the same question. Thanks to those who had the answer.
The Jesse/Dean story arc was my favourite in the film.

I assumed that it was Infinite Jest.

Hi there, I read in an interview for Sundance that the book that Jesse keeps returning to the bookstore to read is whatever the viewer wants it to be. But for Josh Radnor, he said he had in mind Michael Cunningham's 'The Hours':
"Theres something really stunning about the last three pages to me. I was so moved by them that for years, when I was in a bookstore, I would just pick up different versions of that book and read the ending. Thats what I had in mind, but that doesnt necessarily mean thats what Jesse was reading."
Here is the link to the interview if you wish
http://www.sundance.org/stories/article/liberal-arts-Josh-Radnor-Takes-Us-Behind-the-Scenes-of-His-Sundance-London/

I figured out Infinite Jest (not from the cover, which was unfamiliar, but by the other descriptions in the movie). And ITA, amazing book tho probably not the best choice for someone with a chemical imbalance!
But I'm stumpted by the book that Jesse reads in the bookstore, the one that eventually got Anna talking to him. The cover is kinda generic, and the only clue was that "the last 3 pages are devastating" or words to that effect.
Anyone?
TIA
(Just watched this movie last night and I loved it!)

Yes, I, too agree with Zibby. Twilight might not be fine art but if it encourages reading can it be all bad. In time, who knows, Twilight just might become an icon of pop culture. Known through the ages.
Nice touch casting Mom Cullen as our hero's girlfriend.

Dracula is incredibly boring and moralistic - bloody, too, okay, but nothing special literary-wise. A lot of sentences offended me in there;-)
But of course the first vampire novel.
Just because it is old and taught at universities doesn't make it goodhaha, I'm with Zibby on that one!
And I will close with a Goethe-quote (translated of course):
Books are written questions,
Call into the Unknown.
Not until Hearts give answer
Does the poet know their meaning.
Hearts. Not Minds.

Yep. This is the cloud-design cover of the book http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Infinite_jest_cover.jpg
Also worth pointing out that this was filmed at Kenyon College, which is Josh Radnor's old college, and the place that Foster Wallace delivered his famous and brilliant'This is Water' commencement address.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5THXa_H_N8

thank you for this question and the answers it's received. i'm going to check it out of the library and even get the Dracula book which i've never read he mentioned. it was a really good movietoo bad these sometimes fall by the wayside. i actually saw this on a DL flight today.

http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1165604485l/6759.jpg
It may have been a little different but it was surely at least modeled on this cover.
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you know, my first thought was that it was infinite jest also but i tried finding an image of the cover and none had the same one as the one in the movie (orange letters for the title etc). it's possible they were implying that's what it was though.
similarly, i couldn't find the vampire book that he was reading Lunar Moon by Jill Dipaolo but i'm guessing it was meant to be twilight

Recognized it too. Own a copy.

It annoyed me that they were referring to books but hiding their titles.
They either didn't get permission or thought that they wouldn't. I don't know all the laws regarding rights of things; you would think that 2 characters could talk about a book, but things might be different when they show a physical book.
Since they talk negatively both about the vampire book (though one character likes it) and the 1,000 page book (again, 2 people like it, but recognize the negativity that goes along with it), they might not have gotten permission.

Anyone who has read infinite Jest (with the original cover) would recognize it just as I did from the small glimpse of those clouds arrayed across that shade of blue sky. That's how I ended up here; to confirm my suspicion. Especially when the next moment brings the Wallace quote about fiction and loneliness.

The book Jesse's reading as his laundry bag gets stolen is Arundhati Roy's "The God of Small Things".

I recognized it as Infinite Jest because I happen to be reading it right now. Besides the dialogue about it in the film (which was all accurate, as I recall), the cover art of the book is a blue sky with a few clouds, and I could make this out when the book was shown on screen. BTW, the book requires huge focus to read, but is quite brilliant.

David Foster Wallace gave the commencement address at Kenyon College where Radner went (and his Dad and sister) and people read it for hints as to the reason for his later suicide. Kenyon, in Gambier Ohio, was the setting for the film.

Yes, it is Infinite Jest. Here's more evidence: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLXSwio7gCE

I immediately knew that it's Infinite Jest because A) David Foster Wallace was depressed and eventually ended his own life, B) I remember that the book was over 1000 pages long, which was mentioned in the film.

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/98274-fiction-is-one-of-the-few-experiences-where-loneliness-can

I suppose Ebert just recognized it, it's a pretty popular and almost cliche, as noted by Ebert, tome for college students to be carrying around.

Sadly, David Foster Wallace suffered from depression for many years, and he hanged himself in 2008 (just as Josh Radnor says in the movie). I can't immediately find the source of the quote "The purpose of fiction is to combat loneliness," but several reviews attribute it to Wallace.

Nick: I agree with you. And what are the titles of the other books figuring in the film (other than the Stoker and Blake)? It annoyed me that they were referring to books but hiding their titles.