New Pynchon Novel Title to be Revealed Within the Next Week

[Rcfchess at aol.com]

I guess a simpler way of saying what I said below  would be that - at least 
for me, and for Paul and some others as well (? - let  me know, please) - I'm 
more likely to suspend my disbelief when the strings  are covert rather than 
overt...
 
In a message dated 07/17/2006 5:22:32 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
Rcfchess at aol.com writes:

 
In conjunction to which, the thought arises: in  the former - i.e., the 
"Doing" story - there is an unavoidable awareness on  the part of the reader of the 
author manipulating the characters; in the  latter, though it might be 
present, it's not as obvious, tacit, or  heavy-handed, and so we have more of a 
feeling of "this could happen"; it's  not as clearly 
puppet-being-pulled-by-strings, so we're more likely to believe  it.
 
RF
 
In a message dated 07/17/2006 5:11:01 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
paul.mackin at verizon.net writes:

M&D is a progress-through-life story. Life of two people and life  of  
America. People set out to do something and for better or   worse they  
bring it off somehow. They end up with some  satisfactions and some  
regrets.  The carrying out a plan,  even though a plan often directed  
from above.  The progress  may at limes be questionable. But there is  
direction. It is a  novel of Doing. Not a bad thing of  course.

GR is a novel of  Being.  Vividly living through the nightmare of  
existence,  without particular regard to the importance and  
significance of  Events--events mainly indecisive.  A main theme of  
the novel  is the  War. A memorable passage asks, what does the  War   
want? A very existential question.  The story never focusses  very  
hard on Winning the War. In fact, it doesn't really matter  whether  
the war is won or lost. Would have been a  distinction  without a  
difference. Yet all the while people  experience the 20th century.   
Helplessly experience it. There  are the Quests.  Quests that are  
quite futile.  Slothrop  is as muddled at the end as in the   
beginning. More so. The  Herero are not  saved. The pivotal rocket  
launch is only  beautiful and final.

I am  hoping for a novel of Being.   Don't want answers. Don't want  
progress. Don't want hope. Just  want to experience the  awful  
surface  of  reality,  the way  only Pynchon can program  it.












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