essays

[mikebailey at speakeasy.net]

keithsz wrote:
From: Keith <keithsz at mac.com>
Subject: Re: "Pynchon books are easy to write about."

>Please return to chatting. Your prosaic essays are shitty.

are you not the one who dislikes the Pynchon essays also?
What qualities do you look for in an essay, and do you have some favorites?
I like Montaigne (tho it's been awhile), Lewis Thomas, Annie Dillard, and Stephen Jay Gould, among others.  

Where do you think the Pynchon essays fail - or, if you previously animadverted on this, about what month and year?

Would you consider some of the P-notes articles to be essays, and if so do you have some favorites?  I've got the set, but limited reading time.  So this would be a kindness.  Thanks!