Editing Pynchon?

[Robin Landseadel]

On Aug 7, 2009, at 2:35 PM, Carvill John wrote:

> Yeah ma, I know about political blinders, I sure do. I could talk on  
> and on about that. I certainly used to think that a lot of the  
> slaggings Vineland got were down to the fact that the book displayed  
> an overtly leftist political sensibility, and I still stand by that.  
> But I don't think (may be worng) that applies to anywhere near the  
> same extent when it comes to people not liking ATD. I think most  
> Pynchon 'fans' who disliked ATD disliked it for non political  
> reasons, I really do. I don't agree with them, but I don't put their  
> dislike of ATD down to politics, whereas I have no doubt that at  
> least *some* of  the Vineland haters hate Vineland because it's so  
> unambiguously leftist. And before anybody says it, yes I know: it  
> criticises the Left, but from a leftist perspective.

Please understand, what most delights me most is how Against the Day  
criticizes the right, but from a leftist perspective. I also suspect  
that the clarity of Vineland discouraged those who loved Gravity's  
Rainbow for it labyrinthic nature. When it comes to slagging the  
Bushes, Against the Day was Pynchon's best shot:

	"Well, it's deservin of your close attention, children. Varieties of
	hypocrite, see. Like learning the different kinds of poison plants
	out here, some'll kill the stock, some'll kill you, but use em right
	and some, believe it or not, will cure you instead. Nothing
	vegetable or human that ain't of some use, 's all I'm sayin.
	Except mine owners, maybe, and their got-damned finks."

	He was trying to pass on what he thought they should know,
	when he had a minute, though there was never the time. "Here.
	The most precious thing I own." He took his union card from his
	wallet and showed them, one by one. "These words right 	
	here"—pointing to the slogan on the back of the card "is what it
	all comes down to, you won't hear it in school, maybe the
	Gettysburg Address, Declaration of Independence and so forth,
	but if you learn nothing else, learn this by heart, what it says
	here—'Labor produces all wealth. Wealth belongs to the
	producer thereof.' Straight talk. No doubletalking you like the
	plutes do, , cause with them what you always have to be
	listening for is the opposite of what they say. 'Freedom,' then's
	the time to watch your back in particular-start telling you how
	free you are, somethin's up, next thing you know the gates have
	slammed shut and there's the Captain givin you them looks.
	'Reform'? More new snouts at the trough. 'Compassion' means
	the population of starving, homeless, and dead is about to take
	another jump. So forth. Why, you could write a whole foreign
	phrase book just on what Republicans have to say."
	Against the Day, page 93