Well I just reread Vineland and the news is still bad...

[rich]

On 6/13/07, Henry Winkler <rushm0r3 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> V..................1963
> CL49.............1966
> GR................1973
> Vineland........1990
> M+D..............1997
> AtD............... 2006
>
> Note the famous or notorious 17 year gap between GR and Vineland. WTF
> happened during those years people? We may never know, but one thing we do
> know is that the quality of Pynchon's books declined after that time.
>
> Fonzi
>

______________________
I think there is a reason for that 17 yr gap.  the first three novels are so
much about systems, their hold on people, means of escaping at attempts,
discovery, horror, resignation.  the last three novels I believe emphasize
the people themselves (DL, Mason, Webb, e.g.) than the systems themselves
(though they are still there hovering) w/o losing any of the above
I find it rather refreshing that Pynchon did this--he grew up (but w/o
losing that zany-ness)
people who harp on he'll never read GR--i just don't get it.
compare the stiffness exhibited in V. for the most part and the wonderful
lushness of AtD--that's quite a movement.

there's perfect symmetry to Pynchon's career. i think he's said all he can
say in his fiction. i expect if there is anything more from the man, maybe
collected essays or some non-fiction type work.  or that 10,000 pg thesis on
king kong vs. godzilla

rich (cunnigham)
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://waste.org/pipermail/pynchon-l/attachments/20070613/aab27ecc/attachment.html>