IVIV (8)

[Joseph Tracy]

On Sep 30, 2009, at 8:44 AM, Robin Landseadel wrote:

> As regards the degree of depth within Inherent Vice; I say give it  
> a few years before passing such judgements. It's only been out two  
> months and lots of folks seem to be enjoying it right now. Some of  
> those readers are discovering hidden depths in Inherent Vice even  
> as I type,

Hey there are some great hidden shallows too. And some hilarious  
unhidden shallows, and some kickass unhidden depths. One thing that  
will never be available to someone who has read some Pynchon is the  
quality of discovery of a new literary landscape. This is like  
falling in love, pretty great, but of limited duration. I feel that  
Pynchon has kept his side of the artist/ audience or artist /creative  
work relationship fresh in several ways, and with this work continues  
to fill out niches of possibility  as did ATD, which I found as rich  
as GR or M&D and was profoundly unimpressed with the critical response.

Why do some people study the work intensively? Why do I? Why do those  
who proclaim  TRP past his prime or sold out have such a vehement  
stake in this argument?  For me part of the deal with the p-list  is  
a feeling leftover from college that we were always getting ready for  
a conversation that never  or rarely took place, a conversation of  
multiple ages and disciplines and interests.  For me Pynchon's work  
embodies that conversation, a glass bead game that will either take a  
real place in shaping the world or will be a diary of Anne Frank for  
a poisoned planet.

I think the intense interest reflects a thirst that the possibilities  
of fiction creates  bur rarely satisfies.   One thing about it is  
that it is independent and transgressive, he goes where and how he  
wants to go without reference to a safety net or inherited  
boundaries, a democracy of the mind that brings Einstein, surfers,  
anarchists, war criminals and industrialists  to the same table. To  
my tastes, where he goes remains of high interest.  I work primarily  
in a translucent medium where the possibilities of layering have  
become a key focus. Maybe that's it. Gotta go get some work done.

By the Way I have never understood the convention on this list of  
doubling the title letters: IVIV, VLVL. Wazzat?