i'm new

[aaakers at cord.iupui.edu]

Hello.  My name is adrienne and i am a new Pynchon fan.  I just read The
Crying of Lot 49 and really thought it was great.  Since i don't know much 
about Pynchon's writing or his other books, i was wondering if anyone could 
give me some info.  I'm sort of trying to decide what to read next.

First off, i was wondering if this book really pretty much epitomizes 
Pynchon or if his other books are different.  I've read that he writes a 
lot about paranoia, is this true?

I noticed that the muted post horn and WASTE are used a lot on one 
of the Pynchon pages, are these things used in his other books?  Other 
than what they meant in the story, why are they so used by Pynchon fans?

I loved that Pynchon gives so much information because it makes the story 
more real as if it has some historical background...but are any of these 
things true facts. I mean was there ever a Thurn and Taxis or a play 
called The Courier's Tragedy?  

I promise only one more...
Now all this information was really great until about page 100 and then i 
just felt so lost and confused for about 40-50 more pages.  Everything 
started to become blurry.  I have a friend who read this book as well as V. and 
the same thing happened to him at the same spot. I wonder, is this intentional?
Does he do this to make the reader feel just as lost and confused as Oedipa?

Sorry for all of the questions...I just am really intrigued by Pynchon's 
writing as well as his hidden life.  Any information or answers you could 
give would be most helpful.

Thanks,
adrienne