Disappointed

[Page]

During my university days (philosophy student), I discovered the value of 
reading through a text at speed. No stopping to look up words; no stopping 
for any reason. Then I would give the assignment or book a slow, thorough 
reading. The first read through helped considerably.

I use the same method to heighten my understanding of complex writers like 
OBA.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ian Livingston" <igrlivingston at gmail.com>
To: "Toby Levy" <tobyglevy at gmail.com>
Cc: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Monday, August 10, 2009 6:59 AM
Subject: Re: Disappointed


>A rapid read of Pynchon must always be disappointing, imho.  There is
> so much one skims over, reading the plot and skimming the allusions.
> Kind of like reading Murakami without an understanding of Japanese
> culture, we enjoy the story but don't really *get* it.  It may be that
> at some level TRP is aping Robbins' light reads, but there is more.
> Always more.  I look forward to a deep read but, as I dive into the
> semester ahead, I expect to be too busy to follow the group read this
> time.  Have to be a lurker....
>
> On Mon, Aug 10, 2009 at 8:28 AM, Toby Levy<tobyglevy at gmail.com> wrote:
>> I finished Inherent Vice yesterday and I'm not going to pretend I wasn't
>> disappointed.
>>
>> I found it to be like a Tom Robbins novel. Not that there's anything 
>> wrong
>> with that, but I expected more, I expected better.
>>
>> I will say that the first reading of a Pynchon novel is not the end of 
>> the
>> evaluation process for me. I remember the shock of disappointment I felt
>> when I first finished Vineland, and I have come to greatly appreciate the
>> book now that I've read it three or four times.
>>
>> Vineland suffered following a masterpiece like Gravity's Rainbow, and IV
>> suffers from following Against the Day, which is an incredible book, a 
>> work
>> of genius IMHO.
>>
>> Toby
>>
>
>


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