Books

[Bekah]

And imo (fwiw) the structure of Underworld was quite different and incredible for the way it interacted with the theme.   His other novels, from The Great Jones Street to  Point Omega were all appropriately and interestingly structured - nothing real fancy in those,  but they certainly weren't blah on structure.   (I can't say much positive about Cosmopolis but I won't fault the structure -  and I've not quite caught up with his earliest novels.) 

I think an author can only do so much within one novel.  He/she can get great roundish characters with depth and texture,  a fast-moving complex and twisted plot with several sub-plots going on,  he can get an interesting framed structure filled in with non-linear back stories told in various points of view and through a few different modalities (epistles,  email,  play scripts, travelogues)  left for the reader to connect,  he can include philosophical/socio-political themes and ideas and points to ponder.    Finally he can create sentences which satisfy like a rich dessert.  

Take your pick - pick 2 or 3 - maybe 4 - but not all.    I don't believe I've ever read a novel which can really get great grades on all counts.   War and Peace comes close but no one would give Tolstoy credit for a fast-moving plot.  Nabokov's themes are sometimes a bit ... oh ... strained is a good word,  ambiguous might be another.   Pynchon gets the socio-political ideas, but he's not got the greatest character development (they're developed to further his themes).  DeLillo's characters sometimes suffer (although they all seem to have the same malady)  as do his plots (very theme-based)  but he certainly gets points for structure.  The above authors can also all create sentences to die for.  

Bekah

On Sep 6, 2012, at 2:02 PM, malignd at aol.com wrote:

> A lot to quibble with here.  I wouldn't compare her to Delillo in terms of quality, nor do I think Delillo's as unstructured and plotless as you do.  Don't have the the energy to go into detail, plus we've both probably read all his stuff and simply disagree.
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rich <richard.romeo at gmail.com>
> To: malignd <malignd at aol.com>
> Cc: pynchon-l <pynchon-l at waste.org>
> Sent: Thu, Sep 6, 2012 9:39 am
> Subject: Re: Books
> 
> Joy williams reminds me alot of Delillo--a master at the level of the
> sentence but plots? structure? forget it. its all magic and dread
> which is not all a bad thing either
> 
> 
> 
> On Wed, Sep 5, 2012 at 6:11 PM,  <
> malignd at aol.com
> > wrote:
> >
> > About half way through Breaking and Entering.  She has great talent,
> > sentence by sentence, very funny.  But I'm beginning to flag from lack of
> > structure.  Where are you?
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Keith Davis <
> kbob42 at gmail.com
> >
> > To: pynchon -l <
> pynchon-l at waste.org
> >
> > Sent: Wed, Sep 5, 2012 11:20 am
> > Subject: Books
> >
> > After finishing M & D a couple weeks ago, I decided to read some shorter
> > stuff.
> >
> > The Quiet American by Graham Greene, I'm sure many of you have read. Saw the
> > movie with Michael Caine and Tarzan (never
> > can remember that guy's name) last year, and didn't realize it came from
> > this book. Great read.
> >
> > The Long Fall by Walter Moseley. Detective fiction. Good page turner. I'll
> > read more of his stuff.
> >
> > Breaking and Entering by Joy Williams. Anyone familiar with her? Kind of
> > strange and dark, but good.
> >
> > Slowly reading a book of short stories by Hughes Rudd, because I don't want
> > it to end. Really dark and twisted and excellent.
> >
> > Then some Borges and Hunter S. Thompson thrown in.
> >
> > Ascension by Eric Nisenson, about the music of John Coltrane.
> >
> > Next? Conrad, "The Secret Agent", Alison Lurie, Barbara
> > Kingsolver....suggestions?
> >
> > --
> > 
> www.innergroovemusic.com