review: Pynchon brings added currency to 'Nineteen Eighty-Four'

[Dave Monroe]

Oh, yeah, I certainly never meant to substitute for the whole damn thing, that's for sure.  I only posted as much as I did as I came to realize that (a) I got the damn thing earlier than most, (b) especially those not actually residing in These Benighted States and (c) to enable anyone who leapt in headfirst anyway be better equipped to do so along the way.  But, again, that Guardian excerpt contains much of what has been at issue already, and having it all in one place and in sequence might well clarify and already unusually, if not transparent, translucent piece, at least as far as Pynchon is concerned.  Just the right person, indeed, but the question remains, why'd he do it?  1984 in particular?  Now?  The Orwell Centennial aside, that seems merely the opening.  Again, what does this "Foreword" say about Pynchon?  It's interesting to reread it as an afterword to the Pynchonian oeuvre instead.  Tantalizing hints ...

Mutualcode at aol.com wrote: I finally got my hands on the thing which I'm savoring.
A couple, three thoughts:

       The differences in tone and style between this and the SL Intro
are striking, either making the point that the SL Intro was tongue-in-
cheek, or, Pynchon is amazingly honest about himself- as you like it.

       It is so much more pleasurable to read the whole text in
book form, as opposed to selected portions quoted via email with
all the gratuitous inveighing between posts that we've had to endure,
although, I am grateful to Mr. Monroe for his efforts. I urge anyone
who can, to purchase the real thing and experience it analog.

       I would pay alot to take a course taught by this man. I find
his articulated thought lucid, provocative and easy to follow. There
is something humble yet inspiring about him. He was just the right
person for this project.

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