Dying public

[MalignD at aol.com]

<< I grant you that, but how does M&D compare to The Counterlife--I could say 
 comparing M&D to say, The Sot Weed Factor, or say Roth's Sabbath's Theater, 
 with say Coover's Pinocchio in Venice or both of those writers fictionilized 
 accounts of Nixon. Maybe you were only using the Counterlife as an example? 
>>

Actually, I was comparing Operation Shylock to M&D, although I would say the 
same about The Counterlife.

I don't think these are apples and oranges.  My point (one point) is:  I'm a 
fan of TP, but I find, particularly on this board, a sense of preordination 
regarding his work; i.e., if he wrote it, it must be great. It's not a 
critical position destined to bear much fruit.  Trusting that one is allowed 
cordially to participate on this board without kissing the hem of the 
garment--I found M&D a stark falling off compared to GR, and Vineland far 
worse than that.  So, being in disagreement in this regard with the 
consensus, and in response to the alacrity with which TP is regarded here as 
Greatest Living Writer, etc., it seemed useful to point out that Roth, in the 
two decades in which TP produced M&D and Vineland, has written some dozen 
books of nearly uninterrupted brilliance and originality.  And to the great 
extent that his books are rigorously intelligent and buzzing with ideas, he's 
beating TP at what is often considered his game.  It's true they are in many 
ways very different writers; nevertheless, I obviously don't find the 
comparison inapt.

As for Saul Bellow, he needs little defending.  Bellow's erudition is quite 
as broad TP's and wielded with a similar breathtaking confidence.