reading Pynchon

[Doug Millison]

Having read the various posts in this thread, I'll stick with my  
attitude of gratitude, that at age 57  I'm not reading Inherent Vice  
in a high school or college class with a professor telling me how I  
should or should not read it or discuss it or think about it, I'm  
quite happy to read and think about it and discuss it as I wish,  
absolutely.  Your mileage may vary, of course.  If you want somebody  
telling you how to think about this or any other Pynchon novel, what's  
acceptable or unacceptable when it comes to reading and discussing a  
book,  go for it. I think we have at least one, maybe more people like  
that in our very midst here on Pynchon-l, and they seem to dispense  
their advice quite freely, thanks. Some of it is actually interesting  
to read and ponder, even if I should choose not to take their approach  
in my own reading.