Tom, J.D. J.D., Tom!

[LARSSON at VAX1.Mankato.MSUS.EDU]

Sorry about the truncated post, full version follows:

David comments:
"No joke, Dexter. I can't lay hands on it just at the moment, but there was a
brief one-page note duplicated alongside part 2 of Batchelor's Soho News
article. The letterhead was MGM, the return address somewhere on Piuma Road
(a twisty two-lane blacktop in the Santa Monica Mtns. above Malibu), and the
contents something along the lines of "Nice try, but no cigar." Signature was
T or Tom or Thomas, P. or Pynchon, I forget. Almost more interesting if it's
a forgery, since who at the studio would bother? If anyone knows more, please
enlighten me and Dexter both."


I saw both issue of the SOHO NEWS way back when (some twenty years ago!).
The story had suggested that Salinger had written himself into a corner and
adopted the name Thomas Pynchon as way out, only to write himself into 
another corner.

The MGM-letterhead letter from Pynchon (if it was he, and I think it was),
said something like the story was very interesting and parts were even
true, but not the most interesting parts.

I suspect that TRP had bought the stationery.  The letter came not too long
after a *big* auction (!) held by MGM when they sold off Judy Garland's
ruby red slippers and *lots* of other stuff.


Don Larsson, Mankato State U (MN)