What makes TRP's writing his?

[Brian D. McCary]

marc writes:
>	Whatever characteristic of TRP's work might be invoked, someone will 
>always point to another writer who shares it. No-one else has the by-line. 

and Andrew follows up with:
>I suspect that an exhaustive list of features is not very useful since none 
>of them is guaranted to be ever-present

both valid positions.  But, on the same evening, Jhildt writes:

>To me, OWS is the book that puts him in the same league with Pynchon.

and Ethan Schofer comments

>I think Tom Waits (although he's not officially a producer, but he
>produces his own work) acomplishes what Wilner is trying to do, but I'm not
>sure he would work well with Pynchon.

in the context of a thread which has morphed into recording artists who
might collaborate with Pynchon.  We constantly have recommendations on this
list of works "which reminded me of Pynchon" (One debate emerged on whether
"12 Monkeys" was or wasn't Pynchonian, and why).  I've seen this time and
time again about books, music, and movies.  In the post which got me thinking
about this point, OUTRSPACIA wrote "Reading Powers, I was far from willing 
to put him in league with TRP, in spite of the glowing blurbs."  Clearly
listers each have some idea about what they think is the "essence" of Pynchon.
When we read a comparison to Pynchon on a review or a bookcover, each of
us probably perks up a little bit.  If we read the book, and feel disappointed
afterword, it is because we expect something of a book which has been
compared to TRP's work.

I think a discussion of what this something is would be healthy, as long
as it takes place in terms of "I think", and not "It is".  I beleive
that this question is at the heart of why some listers liked Vineland, (or
COL49) and some didn't, or thought that they were minor works instead of
major ones.

Brian McCary