Slate, Mason Dixon and general randomness..

[aayala at randomhouse.com]

I think that Kirn missed an important point about works like GR and M&D. These 
novels are about the metamorphosis of the static novel into something more 
profound. Pynchon, Joyce, Barth, Stern, Perec, and other experimental novelists 
are overthrowing mainstream conventions to prove that the novel tradition can 
change to incorporate the world's idea of media, to prove that the novel is 
robust.

M&D is as much about the novel convention as about the story. ie-Of course it 
should be written in quasi-eighteenth century dialog--it's an oral history of 
eighteenth century events recited by an eighteenth century priest/con.

Not everyone can enjoy the craft, just as not everyone can enjoy romance 
novels, memoirs, or civil war docu-dramas. You can't expect to appreciate M&D 
if you don't dig the craft behind the story. 

As for Vidal, well, he's a fun read. Let's leave it at that.

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To: pynchon-l @ waste.org @ SMTP
cc:  (bcc: Andrew Ayala/Trade/RandomHouse)
From: joel @ typhoon.co.jp ("Joel Weierman") @ SMTP 
Date: 05/06/97 11:52 PM  
Subject: Slate, Mason Dixon and general randomness..

With these streams of message pouring into
my Pynchon folder I have to at least get my
contribution in.

I was reading the Slate review
(http://www.slate.com/BookReview/97-05-06/)
and had to wholeheartedly agree with him. 
I have tried many times to read Pynchon
(I am giving GR another go right now)
but the most succesful and rewarding
was when I read the Crying of Lot 49
in a politics class in college. Through
lots of discussion and general hints
about some of the more subtle themes
I was able to see the novel not as just some
bizarre play on words, but as a very
political novel. Since I began reading
on my own, I've had a rougher go of it.

Its such a contrast reading something so 
"simple"(?) like "The Liar's Club" seems
so easy and so rewarding, its almost
like I am cheating or something.

That's where I really agree with Mr. Kirn...
I think I may give up half-way through
Mason & Dixon and leave Pynchon 
on the shelf.....

What do other folks think out there?

-Joel
joel at typhoon.co.jp