Ethical Diversions

[Paul Mackin]

On Jun 17, 2006, at 9:36 PM, Keith McMullen wrote:

> My "claim" is that many take themselves a wee tad too seriously here.


Browsing in The New Yorker magazine archives last everning I came  
across the related idea that Pynchon, on the other hand, doesn't take  
himself seriously enough.

It was the June 15, 1963, review of V. and the  the reviewer was   
Whitney Balliett,  best known for being the magazine's jazz critic.  
(interesting having the jazz critic review Pynchon)

Anyway, Balliett was overall quite impressed with P's first novel. He  
did however end the review with the  following:.

"The book is  over long and often drones. It is over burdened with  
fantasy and eccentricity, which lose their  shape when not framed   
with reality. "V," in short, is a welcome oddity--a comic novel whose  
author DOESN'T TAKE IT SERIOUSLY ENOUGH." (emphasis added)

Unfortunately the archive isn't digitized.  I gave it a quick try but  
haven't got sophisticated equipment. Will try to quote
more of it.

P.


>
> monropolitan at yahoo.com wrote:
>
>> Meanwhile, if you "get" Pynchon (you left out an
>> implied "us" below, so i'm not sure what yr claim is
>> there ...), by all means, do explain.  Thanks ...
>>
>> --- Keith McMullen <schwitterz11 at netscape.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>>