Cold Mountain Was: (Why Pynchon took the National Book Award (Plus Extra Bile!))

[Peter Giordano]

COLD MOUNTAIN has been mentioned a couple of times in reference to its
ability to "beat out" M&D in the prizes - Some comments which do not add up
to a review:

1) COLD MOUNTAIN is a well researched book which takes full advantage of
the vocabulary of the South in the 1860's (i.e. Some weird words are
sprinkled throughout the text for atmosphere) - Perhaps, depending on your
point of view, this is similar to M&D (I say that Pynchon is doing
something entirely different)
2) The connection to THE ODYSSEY touted by COLD MOUNTAIN's publishers and
some critics is tenuous at best - In fact, it is a pretty stupid comparison
once you get beyond the notion of a story about about a man returning home
from a war - That, in terms of plot, theme, structure, etc. is where the
comparison ends
3) COLD MOUNTAIN is a very hypnotic book for the first third but after the
same plot device is used for the sixth time in the narrative you decide
that you'd rather see the sucker take a bullet and die already
4) I would recommend COLD MOUNTAIN with reservations but I also see a good
deal of hype surrounding it - It is a flavor of the month for a variety of
political and marketing reasons so so I wouldn't be surprised to see it eat
up some prizes -  However:
    - Some really great books have won prizes and have been forgotten
   -  Some really great books have won prizes and have endured
   -  Some really rotten books have won prizes and have been forgotten
   -  Some really rotten books have won prizes and have endured

So I would conclude that if either M&D or COLD MOUNTAIN win any prizes it
won't mean a thing

Peter Giordano
Williams College
Williamstown, MA