Newbies, what to read first

[none none]

ill agree to this strongly


>From: The Great Quail <quail at libyrinth.com>
>To: The Whole Sick Crew <pynchon-l at waste.org>
>Subject: Newbies, what to read first
>Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 14:48:39 -0400
>
>Just for the record, I am one of those folks who believes it¹s best to read
>COL49 and V. *before* GR.
>
>Although I certainly agree that GR was "written to be read," and that you
>can go in "cold" and still enjoy it thoroughly, there's no getting around
>the fact that it *is* a bit difficult, both in terms of style and thematic
>material. I believe that reading the previous two novels is just good
>preparation. I mean, reading GR for the first time is something of a big
>deal -- hell, it's very density and complexity has entered our cultural
>mythology -- so anyone who really wants to commit shouldn't have much of a
>problem reading two shorter novels first. Additionally, V. introduces some
>characters and situations that return in GR; while GR is hardly a "sequel,"
>I think a reader can feel more resonance with Mondaugen, Pig Bodine, and 
>the
>Herero after having first absorbed V. Finally, as somebody mentioned, COL49
>and V. serve as good introductions to basic Pynchonian themes.
>
>--Quail, whose favorite P books is actually "M&D."
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>The Great Quail, Keeper of the Libyrinth:
>http://www.TheModernWord.com
>
>"Book! you lie there; the fact is, you books must know your places.
>You'll do to give us the bare words and facts, but we come in to
>supply the thoughts."
>      --Herman Melville, "Moby Dick"




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