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 liked "The Sot-Weed Factor" too, until I read M&D, and beside it,
> 'Sot-Weed' becomes an extended stand-up comedy bit, page after page of
> waiting for the punch line.

This echoes very much to my own feelings. If we want to talk about the
differences in quality between the both "SWF" and "M&D" are the appropriate
texts imho, but this doesn't take away my admiration for "Chimera" which is
the best fiction I have read of Barth. I read "SWF" once or twice but I know
I will keep reading "M&D" for a long time over and over, like GR.

Otto