pynchon mention in NYT

[Paul Mackin]

On Mon, 2003-05-26 at 07:33, Burns, Erik wrote: 
> Foax:
> thanks to whoever posted that James Wood piece in NYTBR.
> it's not exactly praise of TRP and this - among other comments about other
> writers - will, as this piece makes glaringly clear, set a standard for his
> own novel when reviewed.
> inneresting. i vaguely remember Wood & his "Broken Estate" being discussed
> here cupla years ago in re allegory & trp, but don't recall this cite as
> such.
> etb


His main general criticism of the Pyncher was the multiplicity of
meanings generated by his use of metaphor, a characteristic of the
writing that I happen to enjoy exceedingly (in the novels).  The title
of the piece was "Thomas Pynchon and the Problem of Allegory."

The piece was principally a review of Mason & Dixon and Wood didn't care
for the fact that both Mason and Dixon thought so similarly to Thomas
Pynchon. My reaction to that would be: how do we know WHAT Pynchon
thinks.

P.


P.


. 
> 'And those who fall short of his standards provoke his ire. He has called
> Mr. Pynchon's characters "not human" and "serfs to allegory." It is a sign
> of Mr. Pynchon's "powers of evasion and self-subsidence," Mr. Wood wrote,
> "that few question the banality, or worse," of some of his ideas.'
>