Insights and/or Suggestions

[Greg Montalbano]

>From:  (Shawn J O'Connor)
>
>
>Impressed by the reviews I recently purchased Mason & Dixon -my first
>exposure to Pynchon's writings.  Could you please share with me some
>insights and/or suggestions into understanding his work.
>
>Shawn
>
>

Not to sound like a smartass, but read the book (any book; M&D, V. or GR or
VINELAND or even CL49) -- as has been discussed here MANY times, there are
any number of levels of enjoyment & reward in each of his novels, some
which will work for you & some which won't.  Rather than being told what to
look for, maybe it's best to read a few for yourself, note your own
correspondences & developments, and THEN go into the analysis & criticism
that's available here & at the archives.
One suggestion I will make:  start with the VOICE.  The thing that first
hooked me on Pynchon's writing wasn't the famous paranoia, the POMO tricks,
or even the bizaare situations his characters ended up in -- it was the
truly distinctive VOICE.

~G~