SLSL Intro, "almost, but not quite me..."

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In a message dated 11/3/02 2:58:44 PM, trailerman at blueyonder.co.uk writes:

<< so, to what extent should we read the intro as a short story?

nice essay in the Guardian yesterday (Sat) by David Lodge.  He expounds
on the prevalence of mock-confessional narratives in modern fiction :
 >>

Read it (it's good) at:

http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,12084,823955,00.html

If it can be read as a short story: the tale of a middleaged author
reflecting on some of his early works, which now, because of his
reputation, he intends to mass market as a collection, then it
should be read that way. That is not to preclude the possibility
that the voice of the narrator and of "Pynchon" coincide- here,
there and everywhere- but, that's just another possibility. An
"expansion of possibilities," if you will.

I believe it can be treated as a story, and further, it is not necessary
to prove authorial intent in order to examine it in that light. By 
remaining out of sight, Pynchon makes that even more possible.

What are the other examples of authors who have prefaced short
story collections with long intros? I agree with those who have
pointed out that we should compare them with SL, as a sort of 
genra. But Pynchon's reclusiveness, and the much larger questions 
the world is waiting to ask him about the novels, makes this case
unique. It is not the so-styled callow author of these stories that
we are all waiting to step down "the street to have a beer and talk
over" the state of the world with, it's Pynchon. And he knows it,
and he knows that's what we're all waiting to catch a glimpse of
as we parse and peruse the Intro.

respectfully