Gaddis and Pynchon

Toby G Levy tobylevy at juno.com
Tue Aug 20 08:14:34 CDT 2002


Terrance asks:

> What is it about Gaddis you don't like? If you found his novels  
mostly
> weak and unreadable why did you  bother to read them? 

WARNING!!! HUMBLE OPINIONS FOLLOW!!! 

I read JR in shocked disbelief that the author of the masterpiece "The
Recognitions" could write so carelessly as to put his name to a novel
athat to me seemed to be a hastilly written first draft. 

I read Capenter's Gothic in the wild hope that he had come to his senses.

I started A Frolic of His Own and passed on it after about fifty pages on
unreadable prose.

> If not Gaddis, who are the novelists that can carry TRP's pocket
protector?

Writing today?  None.

I have read thousands of books since I first read V. in 1965.  I have
sung the praises of many great contemporary authors to whoever would
listen.  But I have TO THIS DAY not found one living author who combines
the intelligence, wit, compassion and skill of Thomas Pynchon. I have not
found even one who comes close!

Toby 

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