FW: Pynchon and Delany

[JM]

---------------Original Message---------------

jm notes:
"Also, I saw one place in another of Delany's little-known non-fiction/critical books where 
Delany comes right out and compares the sales history of _Dhalgren_ with that of _Gravity's 
Rainbow_.   It's not quite clear to me what motivated him to draw that particular 
comparison."

and Don Larsson comments:

I believe that was in THE JEWEL-HINGED JAW, one of his books of criticism,
though he's also mentioned the comparison in some interviews.  I believe
what motivated the comparison was the relative serious inattention being
given to SF (at the time, at least), in comparison to "serious" writers
like TP.  I've been a fan of Delany's for a long time, even though he compares
Pynchon to work that "smacks of the library."  Delany, it is clear, *has*
lived on the street (and under it), but I don't think he needs to bring down
Pynchon to let his own work shine.
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I have _The Jewel-Hinged Jaw_ but haven't read it--I tried but gave up.  The comparison I 
was referring to was in _Silent Interviews_.  I didn't get the feeling that Delany was trying to 
put Pynchon down at all.  As I mentioned, I thought his motive for making that particular 
comparison was unclear.                   -jm