The Apprenticeship of Thomas Pynchon

[jbor]

on 16/11/02 1:19 AM, MalignD at aol.com at MalignD at aol.com wrote:

> << Thomas Pynchon, like J. D. Salinger, is a writer who has been hiding away
> for years,  ...>>
> 
> Just checking:  we agree, most of us (don't we) that Pynchon is not a
> recluse, not hiding away anywhere, like Salinger in New Hampshire or B.
> Traven in Mexico.  The guy's private, avoids publicity, right?
> 

The notion that Pynchon "had been hiding away (from public view) for years"
was probably more accurate in 1984, when _SL_ was published, with its
unexpectedly personal 'Intro', than it is in 2002. I think that's the point
Wood was trying to make.

The leap from there to calling him a "recluse" has probably always been
unwarranted, however:

    Pynchon himself rejects any characterizations of him as a recluse,
    telling CNN that "my belief is that recluse is a code word generated by
    journalists ... meaning, 'doesn't like to talk to reporters.'"

    http://www.cnn.com/US/9706/05/pynchon/

best