Gaddis

[Craig Bleakley]

Gary L. Thompson's observation that Gaddis is

>very worthwhile if 
>you're up to some long and confusing, but non-cinematic, reads.
>

may be right on the money in one of the major distinctions between Our Boy
and Bill.  Pynchon is much much more visual, Gaddis much much more oral.
Gosh, when I say it, it sounds obvious, but when you said it, it seemed spot
on--and still does.  When I think of reading Gaddis, I think of the FBI guys
sitting in a dank room listening in on dull conversations for eight hours to
get the important three minutes on tape.  Okay, not quite *that*
unrewarding.  But the unabridged Books on Tape version of JR would stand a
chance of being better than the novel (or of *being* the novel).   

Being on the p-list means never having to say you don't have new
mail--especiallly after repeated day-long episodes of 'ware problems.

Craig Bleakley