Pynchon fax

[jbor]

otto
> It is hardly a coincidence that the ones who prefer to
> question the authenticity of that piece disagree to what he says in it, have
> called the "1984"-Intro a shitty essay etc.

No, I've never called the Orwell 'Intro' a "shitty essay", nor do I think
it's a shitty essay.

>> It seems to me that those
>> few voices here who are championing the Japan Playboy piece as a
>> definitive
>> public statement made by Pynchon are too scared to ask. Or else, one at
>> least might know already what the answer will be.
>> 
> 
> Now you are accusing someone of a deliberate fake, a strong accusation.

No, though that's certainly another possibility. It seems to me quite likely
that, having received reliable information that Pynchon never gave an
interview to Playboy Japan, there'd be a failure to disclose it, just in
order to keep the "myth" alive -- much as Anderson did with the Tinasky
hoax. Recall that imminent confirmation of the status of the "interview" was
promised over two years ago.

Someone offlist suggested "that Pynchon probably had no idea that his 9/11
thoughts that he spoke over a telephone would wind up on the printed page."
I'm not sure what the basis for that speculation is, or whether there is a
basis for it, but if it were the case then questions immediately arise about
the writer's interpretation of the content and tone of Pynchon's comments
during the course of the conversation, and about the accuracy and
completeness of the statements which he or she has put into Pynchon's mouth
in writing up the article, let alone the ethical issues concerning
publication of private correspondence without permission.

best