John Barth Vs. Pynchon

[Otto Sell]

----- Original Message -----
From: Mark A. Douglas <mdougla1 at midsouth.rr.com>
To: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2001 8:21 AM
Subject: Re: John Barth Vs. Pynchon


> I simply no longer compare the two authors:  Pynchon exhibits so much more
> depth than Barth that the two don't seem comparable, and with his later
> works, Barth sort of falls into a Tom Robbinish-hole.
>

Could you please tell me which ones you mean.

> The only contemporaries of Pynchon that come close to him, or surpass him
> for richness and depth in a reading experience, IM(extraordinarily)HO, are
> McElroy and Gaddis.
>

I cannot but agree, my reading of "Die Fälschung der Welt" goes very well
(just finished the first part and I'm waiting to find the original text at a
reasonable price), but I'm really struggling with McElroy's "Lookout
Cartridge," "A Smuggler's Bible" and "Plus," even with the secondary
literature Byron the Bulb has sent to me.

> Yikes.  Sorry, I'm kind of mouthy tonight.
>
> Mark
>

Quite ok

Otto