Interesting Pynchon Mention

[Paul Mackin]

Steve Maas wrote:

> In his review of Andrew Solomon?s _The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of
> Depression_ (January 6, 2002, LA Times Book Review), reviewer Patrick Giles
> says:
>
> "17th century England (to start in the middle of the journey) was the summit
> of melancholy creation.  John Donne's poetry and his fierce argument over
> the efficacy of suicide compete in plangency with the prose masterwork of
> the heavy-hearted, Robert Burton's _The Anatomy of Melancholy_.  Solomon
> gives this book far too little homage: It is in fact a staggering triumph of
> education and artistry, at once a treatise on the medical, historical,
> philosophical and spiritual aspects of melancholy, a pep talk for fellow
> sufferers and a meta-fictional challenge leagues more daunting than any
> Melville or Thomas Pynchon crafted centuries later."
>
> Anyone here ever read Burton?
>
>

At least the passages quoted in the wonderful 12 volume "A Dance to the Music
of Time" by Anthony Powell. The protagonist Nick is writting a book about
Burton.


        P.