Barth, Pynchon, heirs etc.

[Ben Johnson]

Re: Barth, Pynchon, heirs etc.I would suggest that Neil Stephenson (Cryptonomicon, Baroque trilogy) does as well anyone in combining multiple narratives, historical contexts, and cosmic irony.  Anyway, nemo est haeres viventis.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Will Layman 
  To: jkyllo at gmail.com 
  Cc: pynchon-l at waste.org 
  Sent: Monday, September 19, 2005 8:50 PM
  Subject: Re: Barth, Pynchon, heirs etc.


  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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