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[jbor]

MalignD wrote:

> Pale Fire would really be fun.
> 
> Vineland is a mediocre effort, recently done,

Though I agree pretty much on both scores concerning _Vineland_, my main
thought was that it'd be interesting to reassess some of the more
extravagant claims which have been made vis à vis "Pynchon's politics",
claims which do seem to revolve around a fairly selective reading of that
particular novel. And, as I recall it, that last group read got bogged down
by an outlandish contention that television is regarded as an absolute
"evil" therein. It's quite clear, of course, that it isn't, but ....

I can't see the logic in discussing works by authors other than Pynchon on
this particular list; surely there are other venues for that. But it's not
really a strong objection. _Pale Fire_ would suit me, as would _The Magic
Mountain_, _The Scarlet Letter_, _Bleak House_, _Augie March_, _On the
Road_, _Neuromancer_, something by Rushdie or Coetzee ....

best

> and Moby Dick seems to me bound
> to lumber to a slow death in this forum.  Ditto Musil:  I read The Man
> Without Qualities a few years ago in the recent, quite wonderful translation,
> but two volumes, 1700 unfinished pages--get serious.