We're different- Re: In The Zone (getting M&D poster)

[jporter]

>> Most people haven't heard of much less read TRP. The majority of the
>> minority that have heard of him, haven't read him and reference him as
>> another literary name-to-be-dropped icon, along with other such names, the
>> works of whom they may have read- one, part of, or none at all.
>
>This is a really wierd phenomenon that I don't yet understand.  I admit in
>the Preface to Lineland that before Jules approached me, I didn't know who
>the hell TRP was.  (Of course, I've since become interested in reading
>Pynchon, but have only make it through COL49 so far.) The name sounded
>vaugely familiar, but I just couldn't place it.  I can't think of any other
>authors who can have a 200,000 copy first print run for whom this could
>possibly be the case -- I at least know they're an author, even if I
>haven't read them.
>
>I thought at first maybe it was just a wierd hole in my brain.  I've
>since talked to plenty of people who are well read and generally aware
>who have the same hole -- they just don't know about Pynchon's work.
>
>What's with this?
>
>dale

It's a plot, Dale. All those people you asked knew about it in advance and
secretly conspired to pretend that they 'd never heard about TPR. In fact,
Seigel is really one of us. We knew about the gig before he ever approached
you. It's all a sham- the book, the list, the flames, KGB, the whole thing,
Dale. We've been watching you for a long time now, and we decided you were
just the right guy for the experiment...

Oh and Dale, welcome to post postmodernism.

jody