Ishmael Reed

[robinlandseadel at comcast.net]

Ishmael Reed used to conduct a small class at the CD Shop/Cafe (The Musical Offering) where I used to work. Biggest head ever I saw on a man. "Mumbo Jumbo" and "The Terrible Twos" are required reading for true Pynchonites. I'm sure Pynchon is refering to "Mumbo Jumbo", which had a mass market run back in the day.
 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: kelber at mindspring.com
> Has anyone read Ishmael Reed?
> 
> "Well and keep in mind where those Masonic Mysteries came from in the first 
> place.  (Check out Ishmael Reed.  He knows more about it than you'll ever find 
> here.)"
> 
> GR, p.588 (Penguin)
> 
> I consider this the weakest moment (possibly the only weak moment) in the whole 
> book.  Pynchon suddenly steps into the book as Pynchon and plugs a present-day 
> writer.   It's very jarring. 
> 
> Reed's writing career had barely begun.  His pre-1973 works:
> 
> The Freelance Pallbearers, 1967
> Yellow Back Radio Broke-Down, 1969
> Mumbo-Jumbo, 1972
> Neo-HooDoo Manifesto, 1972
> Conjure: Selected Poems, 1963-1970, 1972
> 
> Does anyone know which book(s) Pynchon is refering to?
> 
> Laura