Don't cry for me, drug dealers of NoCal.. *sniff*

[Sojourner]

At 07:10 AM 7/3/97 -0500, Jules Siegel wrote:
>
>I think that original quotation reveals Pynchon's ignorance of spoken
>Yiddish and his reliance on library research rather than real-life
>experience. I could point out many similar discrepancies in Vineland and
>Gravity's Rainbow. His worlds are invented worlds. They have their own
>internal logic and integrity but they don't show a lot of fact-for-fact
>congruence with the real worlds that people seem to want to see reflected in
>them.
>

La la la all the day long...   I do believe that every book Mr. Pynchon
wrote from V. onwards was always clearly labelled as FICTION.

>This isn't a problem for most readers, but if you actually lived in Northern
>California and the dope-dealing scene, as both Anita and I did, then you
>find Vineland very difficult to take. The language is invented. No one
>talked that way. If you don't know how they did talk, this is no big deal.
>If you do, it's quite annoying and ultimately makes it impossible to enjoy
>the book.
>
>

Oh my word... you sound as if you are almost proud of the fact you lived in
the mega-slang factory of "dope-dealing" northern California!  Are you?
Did it sadden you so much that an author wrote a book of fiction which
INCORRECTLY used the slang and euphemisms of some dope dealers?  Did that
put a tear in your eye and an ache in your heart for them good old damned
days when you couldn't throw a rock without hitting some drug dealers?  I
am so sorry it annoyed you, you purist, you seeker of truths and honesty.
I'm sorry that poor Mr. Pynchon offended your sensibilities and ruined your
ENTERTAINMENT and enjoyment of his work.  I also pine for the lost and
misrepresented integrity of that honorable bunch of thieves which you are
so proud to announce to the world were your neighbors and companions during
your long and gritty life.

Since we are on the subject, I will lodge a complaint, and say that Mr.
Pynchon did not fairly represent the lingo, manners and lifestyle of dirty,
gap-toothed 18th century British sailors who couldn't keep their hands off
of sheep, wooden boxes, cabin boys and the like.  It's just not fair!  I
lived among them during my wild days as the Dread Pirate Roberts (an
assignment I took for Harper's) and now I demand my money back!

Waaah!


I thank you in advance for your time and effort in this matter.

Sincerely,



Sam Reames
Technical Services/Serials Receiving
University Libraries
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA  24060

(540) 231-4272
sreames at vt.edu