Barth, Pynchon, heirs etc.

[Will Layman]

James --

I don't think that Rushdie is an odd selection.  MIDNIGHT'S CHILDREN may be
the only of his books that I would stone rave about, but aside from issues
of quality it is his methods that I find Pynchonian ‹ a broad historical
tapestry that intrudes on individuals, comic mayhem alternating with dead
seriousness, etc.  Zadie Smith is, admittedly, a stretch.  She draws from
Rushdie, maybe, rather than Pynchon, but maybe I'm just thinking about
Rushdie because he's speaking in DC soon.

Third rate, I don't think so.  Booker Prize winner and serious cat.  I also
recommend THE GROUND BENEATH HER FEET, which is as good on rock 'n' roll as
anything Pynchon has written.

I like Lethem, but he's a worthy air to writer other than Pynchon.  His
books are pretty traditional human narratives.

-- Will

On 9/19/05 8:03 PM, "James Kyllo" <jkyllo at gmail.com> wrote:

> What an odd selection!  I'll certainly speak up for Vollman, who is for me the
> only serious (living) competitor to TRP - his best stuff matches Pynchon's but
> his quality control is even worse.
>  
> Rushdie and Smith, for me, are 3rd rate (ie there are a whole lot of much
> better writers who if not up to the standard of Pynchon are at least  a
> different class to them)
>  
> of living writers - I love Saunders, but he's yet to write a novel (rather
> than a short story).  Johnathan Lethem is a better candidate.
>  
> best
>  
> James
>  
> 
>  
> On 9/19/05, Will Layman <WillLayman at comcast.net> wrote:
>> That said, who will speak on behalf of:
>> William Vollmann?
>> Salman Rushdie?
>> Zadie Smith? 
>> 
>> -- Will
>> 
> 


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