quick Q

[Paul Mackin]

On Thu, 16 Dec 1999, Ben Sayre wrote:

> Howdy, folks.
> 
> Say, did anyone catch the recent article by Mr. Vidal
> in the NY Review of Books?  Strange to witness a
> shout-out on behalf of chaos from a man who (as I've
> repeatedly heard it said) is so anti-GR.
> 
> So I'm wondering if anyone can give me a citation for
> this guy's condemnation of GR as 'immoral'?  I think I
> want to take a peek at that.

I never heard Vidal say GR was immoral. He did say things to the
effect that Pynchon generates more heat than light and panders to the
IMmortal longings of youth. (this would be the youth of 25 years ago
of course) Vidal is on record as being against personal immortality. Finds
the idea of continuing on forever appalling. Anyway the place where he
wrote this is in a NY Rev of Books and the article is called
"American Plastic: The Matter of Fiction." It's the July 15, 1976, issue.
(the mag has gone on line as far as more recent issues are concerned but
possibly not this far back as yet)

I read the recent piece you refer to but don't remember what it said. 

		P.