Strange and Challenging Detours?!

[Madness]

Thought I'd mention also, if I haven't already:
Cloud Atlas makes for an excellent read.
It's not Pynchon, but Mitchell certainly falls in the category of an
heir to the tradition (one of the traditions -- pick a tradtion,
frankly), and while I don't want to speak much about where the book
goes (with current readings going on), the ending justisfies the
means.

Peace

Mark 


----- Original Message -----
From: James Kyllo <jkyllo at clara.net>
Date: Fri, 1 Oct 2004 23:23:28 +0100
Subject: Re: Strange and Challenging Detours?!
To: monroe at mpm.edu, pynchon-l at waste.org

 
I'm 2/3 through it, and thoroughly enjoying 
  
best 
  
James

 
 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: monroe at mpm.edu 
To: pynchon-l at waste.org 
Sent: Friday, October 01, 2004 10:39 PM 
Subject: Strange and Challenging Detours?! 

'Cloud Atlas' is praised for 'storytelling brilliance'

Friday, October 1, 2004

The post-modern novel, once hailed as the future of fiction, has fallen
on hard times in the 21st century. Thomas Pynchon and John Barth now
seem like strange and challenging detours in the steady march of
straight-ahead realist narrative.

But David Mitchell has picked up the long-dropped post-modern mantle and
is charging smartly ahead with strong, complex novels, filled with
diversionary tactics and stylistic high jinks. The 35-year-old British
writer, who recently moved to Ireland after years of living in Japan, is
gaining increasing recognition, with two straight stints as a finalist
for the Man Booker Prize, Britain's highest literary honor.

Mitchell's most recent novel, "Cloud Atlas," is one of six finalists for
the Booker this year, with announcement of the winner only weeks away.
"Cloud Atlas" is another bravura Mitchell performance, a novel that
hopscotches over time and terrain and style, defying easy categorizing
or simple summary....

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/books/193199_mitchell01.html