Gaddis

[jporter]

>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
>

*Carpenter's Gothic* By William Gaddis.

That's quite a C.V. you've got there. Whatever you feel you might be
lacking from a literary standpoint, it sounds as if you more than make up
for with life experience and scientific background...an old beat up copy of
V on the beaches of Bali, wow! Makes me imagine green and purple monkeys,
among other things.

jp