Getting Gravity's Rainbow

[Paul Mackin]

On Wed, 21 Feb 1996, Gillies, Lindsay wrote:


> It is also why many people have a hard time with particularly GR (although 
> the whole approach is just as prevalent in V)---you must essentially submit 
> to being harangued by the author for 800+ pages before you can "connect". 

Not to put too fine a point on it, but it seems to me this assertion
needs clarification. It sounds like: as you are drawing to the end
of the book, you will at last make some "connection" about what the book
is all about.

I doubt if many people _ever_ connect in one reading. But if one could,
the process would have to start well before midpoint. Just like in
a normal book. You _could_ argue that in GR the end does
not tie things together particularly well and doesn't intend to.

Is not GR a book one _rereads_ rather than reads? First readings
might just as well be done in reverse or accessing individual
chapters randomly. By the way, these aren't bad techniques. They
reduce anxiety over the fact that you aren't "getting" it.

After several readings, you are "connecting" from the first paragraph.
It is an organic, seamless whole.

Picky picky. I liked the points you made.

				P.