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[Circ Staff]

	 Years ago, I read something called HOW I CAME TO WRITE CERTAIN OF 
MY BOOKS by Raymond Roussel.  Roussel, of course, wrote LOCUS SOLUS, much 
admired by surrealists and experimentalists, and the less well-known NEW 
IMPRESSIONS OF AFRICA.  
	In the book about his books, Roussel outlines his compositional
practice, which consists of (I hope I am remembering this correctly) the
creation of plots through the connection of puns.  For example, one might
transform "typing pool" to "Tai-Ping poule," and the convolutions 
necessary for this metamorphosis would define one's story.	
	Does anyone know if Pynchon has ever mentioned Roussel?  Can one find 
evidence of Roussel's influence in any of Pynchon's novels?  After all, 
the man did write about the "high magic in low puns," and he had the 
audacity to make the sequel to V about (among other things) the V-2.

	Andrew Walser
	Arlington Heights, IL 

P.S.  If I have completely distorted Roussel's method, please let me know.