McLuhan

[Christopher Horymski]

>In the process of doing too much research for a CL49 thesis, I keep coming
>across references to Marshall McLuhan.  I know a little about his ideas,
>but there is a conspiracy here to keep me from reading his books.  In the
>library, of the books I'm interested in looking at, 2 are checked out and
>one is missing, the local new and used bookstores don't carry it, and all
>my Sociology friends don't own it.  My main interest is in "The Medium is
>the Message" (if that's the name of it), so if anyone knows of anyone works
>that focus on the McLuhan-Pynchon correlation, or can give me a summary of
>McLuhan's theories as they pertain to Pynchon/CL49, I'll give you a
>footnote in the paper.  E-mail to the group or to me, personally, as you
>see fit.
>Thank you.

Intriguing. McLuhan was at the peak of his "career" during 
the time Pynchon cranked out CL49, but CR49 is the work 
that McLuhan's "theories" (please forgive all the incriminating
quotes) have the least relevance.  Vinelind, of course, is TV city,
and GR, since it's encyclopedic, can probably make room for any 
approach. But Lot 49, the angle isn't as obvious. Maybe the quest 
for The Courier's Tragedy manuscript, I dunno.  IMHO, what could 
be kicked around is McLuhan the personality, who/which reached 
his/its apex around the time CR49 was being cranked out. 

I've just finished Philip Marchand's biography of McLuhan, 
which may be a good place to start, since so much of McLuhan's 
"writing" is impenetrable (or nonsensical, if you're feeling 
uncharitable).  More importantly, it traces McLuhan's ascendency,
circa 1965-67, in great detail. _The Medium is the Massage_, 
the book you mention, was published during this time, though good
luck getting content out of it.  Good for that S.F. flavor, 
though. If you must read the primary text, start with _Understanding 
Media_, which is as tight as McLuhan gets.  Whether or not
any ideas ended up in CR49, well that's your job, innit?

"The Historical Marx.  The Historical Jesus.  The Historical 
McLuhan.  What's left?  Words."

Chris
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