lineland 2 cents

[Craig G. Bleakley]

I'm having a very difficult time understanding the dynamics of the
L/Wh-ineland discussion here because I understand so little about the book
or the situations and events it describes (although I'm wary of most works
that sell themselves by referencing "teen underwear"--where's the recently
departed Master Andrew when you need him?).  Which doesn't mean that I don't
nonetheless have opinions.  And questions.

>From what I'm hearing Siegel's book is part 60's romance flashback, part
fun-on the internet with those zany p-listers.  Apparently, pynchon will be
mentioned somewhere in between.  Might not the folks publishing this work
send a two or three page chunk to this list in order for us to have some
informed opinions?  It seems that turnabout is only fair play. . . . 

I suppose I'm also having a hard time figuring out who the audience is for
this book.  After all, the p-list stuff is publicly accessible, and most
Pynchon-philes don't trust Seigel the historian/memoirist as far as they can
throw him (has the makings of a new olympic event, eh?).  And what has
Seigel written that's worth reading?  I ask out of ignorance rather than
critique.  Does someone have some reading suggestions?

Lazy bum that I am, I second the request that someone who was on the list
when these events transpired sumarrize them.  I suppose I'm not the only
latecomer who's intrigued, but not so much that I'd flail through the
archives.  (As such, I have a weird combo of jealousy and apathy reagarding
p-listers who have been deemed worthy of inclusion. Those of you who are
mentioned may want to begin considering who you want to play you when the
movie rights are sold.)  Was seigel's a brief cameo appearance on the list,
or did he stick around a bit?  Were his contributions worthwhile or
absolutely self-serving?  

I can't help but think that siegel probably no longer has access to the
master, so is satisfied with tickling his creatues.

So, I'm curious.  But on the other hand, I also recall my stay in Lhosa,
were an old Tibetan monk once revealed what he claimed was the secret of life:
People yackety-yack a streak
And waste their time of day
But Mr. Ed will never speak
Unless he has something to say.

He claimed it was an updating of Wittgenstein's "Whereof one cannot speak,
thereof one must be silent."  Go figure.

Information pleeease,
Craig Bleakley