AtD and 9/11

[robinlandseadel at comcast.net]

I suspect there will be a great deal on anarchy, as the historical period was rife with various groups attacking the political dogmas of the time and anarchy was always a topic of interest in Pynchon's works. In particular the kind of artistic anarchy that ensues in the wake of major social upheval, like scenes of Wobblies shacking up with Surrealists.. And if there are some sly or buried references to the "WTO" hysterics in Seattle a few years back, well; don't say I didn't warn you.
 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Keith McMullen <keithsz at mac.com>
> I'm not saying he is apolitical. I'm saying reading his remark as  
> ironic is not the best reading. He may be saying that reading his  
> fiction as relevant to the current day leads to a simplification of  
> what he is creating. And, I am saying that the evidence of such  
> readings on this list supports that. You ignored the bulk of my point  
> and caricatured it. This list is dominated by the "apply his work to  
> the current day" mentality. A review of what is going on outside this  
> list in reading Pynchon, (e.g., the Pynchon Notes), is a hell of a  
> lot more entertaining. Viewing his work as a commentary on current  
> events limits the readings considerably. Of course it's not that they  
> have no relevance, it's that focusing on that aspect makes the  
> readings trivial. I'm suggesting he's exaggerating a point to open up  
> the readership to a broader understanding. I don't worship the guy,  
> but I do think he's a fucking genius. Getting into the inner workings  
> of M&D blew my mind, and I'm not that crazy about the novel. If I had  
> done so with the "current vents" view, I'd have missed some amazing  
> stuff. And I do believe he's left wing. It seems obvious. But his  
> fiction is so full of stuff beyond the political and the current  
> events it's mind-boggling. Again. Show me one post to this list from  
> the "current events" perspective that offers anything anyone with  
> half a brain doesn't think already. If that's all Pynchon has to  
> offer, who gives a shit. Most of us here already think those things  
> without reading a goddamned novel to feel all validated.
> 
> On Aug 16, 2006, at 9:56 PM, jd wrote:
> 
> So, the whole blurb is pretty humorous / tongue in cheek and this one
> example isn't?
>