is Pynchon a recluse?

[Doug Millison]

This is a perennial topic here on Pynchon-L. My observation is that even
Pynchon scholars with the highest levels of devotion to the notion that the
texts must stand on their own with no consideration of the author's
biography, his known artistic influences, & etc., will seize on what we know
about the author in order to expand their understanding of him and his work;
the two activities are, obviously (obvious because in fact we see the two
activities operating in tandem in the actual practice of Pynchon criticism),
not mutually exclusive.  Watch the feeding frenzy that ensues when his
correspondence, notebooks, manuscripts, and such become available for study.

>The author is the person behind the work. And the work, after its 
>publication, is autonomous and should be treated that way.