Gaddis

[grip at netcom.com]

On Sat, 29 Jul 1995, jporter wrote:

> He's tough, no question about it. Try Carpenter's Gothic. It's sort of his
> Crying of Lot 49.

Is that a book by Gaddis titled "Carpenter's Gothic" or a book by 
Carpenter titled "Gothic" ? (This is a real question!!)
> 

> Just curious: how do you relate to TRP? 
                                          I tried GR about 20 years ago 
and couldn't hack it. Then three years ago I got friendly with a fan of 
GR and Pynchon in general. I was in Bali, Kuta Beach, and ran across an 
old beat up copy of V. So I tried that with some success. When I got 
home, (home being then the United Arab Emirates) I borrowed the friend's 
beat up copy of GR and read it. Wow. I had matured as a reader a great 
deal in 20 years. I had my copy sent over and reread it immediately so I 
could mark it up. Wished I had a better library. About 6 months later, 
after reading Vineland and COL49, I started rereading GR again. I've 
reread both Vineland and COL49. I lost V somewhere in my travels or I 
probably would have reread it too.
> 
> Gaddis, by the way, received very mixed reviews for most of his efforts.
> He's an acquired taste, for sure...kind of a source book for Western
> Civilization through the eyes of a mid-century Harvard type, who may have
> flirted with the CIA. I've read that he expected all sorts of awards for
> The Recognitions which really bummed him out when they didn't come. I have
> not read his latest.
> 
> jp
> 
> p.s.: I would love to discuss anything at all about Carpenter's Gothic, if
> you're interested in my takes.
> 
I'm a mathematician of sorts, not a literary professional. My 
literary background is very spotty. I have to spend too much time reading 
other things less literary such as tracts on the latest trends in 
calculus education. With two Gaddis novels, a Delillo(sp?), two by Tibor 
Fischer, plus some other lighter stuff on quantum electrodynamics ( ;) ) 
I don't know when I'll get to Carpenter's Gothic. But I'll certainly put 
it on my "to read" list.

Thanks for the input.

grip