Telluric Texts, Implicate Spaces, Mattessich

[Doug Millison]

I have a cousin-in-law (my wife's cousin), he's Chinese, he teaches physics
at Beijing University (Beida). But, his true passion is the study of the
classic Chinese novel, Dream of the Red Chamber (also known as Story of the
Stone). He wrote and published a book a few years ago wherein he interprets
the novel in terms of quantum physics and the latest
PoMo/post-colonial/whathaveyou critical theory. It's in Chinese and I'd be
surprised if more than a handful of people can understand what he's saying.
But that's his passion, it animates him, a beatific expression spreads
across his face when he talks about this wonderful novel (well worth reading
in translation, a Penguin paperback edition, all five volumes, remains in
print, I believe). Chairman Mao, as I understand it, interpreted this and
other classic Chinese literary works, in political terms, and he led the
Chinese through a great revolution (unquestionably so, despite the tragedies
he later inspired). Great works of literature inspire varied responses. Some
of these responses wind up making sense to more people than others. How will
Pynchon be remembered best? It's a bit too early to tell, I'd say.