A Ranking of Pynchon's Novels

[Mark Kohut]

Hey man, I did do mini-arguing for my first ballot. Thought it was bad
form for the list makers.

But, in general, don't we rate literature by qualities such as
language, narrative meaningfulness, largeness of themes, achieved
form, originality, insight into what we call Life?

On Wed, Jul 22, 2015 at 9:14 PM, John Bailey <sundayjb at gmail.com> wrote:
> We live in an age of lists. Not like Pynchon is averse to them either!
>
> It is interesting, though, that no one has felt the urge to argue for
> or defend their own rankings. I think we all must acknowledge how much
> personal taste and life history influence which P books hold a special
> place for us.
>
> V. probably isn't as fine a novel as some others, but it was the first
> one where I had that shift in understanding as to what Pynchon does
> and went 'ah, I won't be able to read ANYTHING the same way again...'
>
> On Thu, Jul 23, 2015 at 11:08 AM, David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com> wrote:
>> You say that as if it's a BAD thing.  Get over the guilt. Masturbation is
>> fun!
>>
>> David Morris
>>
>> On Wednesday, July 22, 2015, Bruce Appelbaum <brucea212 at optimum.net> wrote:
>>>
>>> mental masturbation
>>>
>>>
>>> Bruce
>>>
>>> "If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry
>>> about answers."
>>>
>>>        --- Thomas Pynchon
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Jul 22, 2015, at 7:59 PM, James Robertson <james at themutedposthorn.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> I believe it helps fill in those lonely hours until the time we are each
>>> summoned from this world…
>>>
>>> —
>>> Sent from Mailbox
>>>
>>>
>>> On Thu, Jul 23, 2015 at 11:47 AM, Conor McDade <fpsconor at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I am only a youth, so I apologize for my naivete, but what is the point
>>>> of these lists without providing any insight as to why you listed them in
>>>> such order? Is it simply to see how people's tastes vary?
>>>>
>>>> On Wed, Jul 22, 2015 at 3:29 PM, Chris v <traditionalgb at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> 1. AtD
>>>>> 2. M&D
>>>>> 3. GR
>>>>> 4. VL
>>>>> 5. IV
>>>>> 6. CoL49
>>>>> 7. V.
>>>>> 8. SL
>>>>> 9. BE (haven't read yet)
>>>>>
>>>>> On Wed, Jul 22, 2015 at 6:19 PM, Mark Kohut <mark.kohut at gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Why doesn't Ms. Jackson (and Thomas) make that happen, you think? Why
>>>>>> wasn't there a 50th Anniversary edition Of V? seems about every modern "
>>>>>> classic" was so " honored" Think Pynchon does not believe in such
>>>>>> anniversary editions?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Jul 22, 2015, at 3:51 AM, James Robertson
>>>>>> <james at themutedposthorn.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I sure wish someone would record an audiobook of V, and Vineland. That
>>>>>> new George Guidall version of GR is marvellous.
>>>>>> On Wed, 22 Jul 2015 at 8:48 pm jochen stremmel <jstremmel at gmail.com>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> 2nd that!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> 2015-07-22 9:55 GMT+02:00 Heikki R
>>>>>>> <situations.journeys.comedy at gmail.com>:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> 1. Gravity's Rainbow
>>>>>>>> 2. V.
>>>>>>>> 3. Mason & Dixon
>>>>>>>> 4. The Crying of Lot 49
>>>>>>>> 5. Vineland
>>>>>>>> 6. Against the Day
>>>>>>>> 7. Inherent Vice
>>>>>>>> 8. Bleeding Edge
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> In fact, on a couple of occasions, the contestants were
>>>>>>>> shoulder-to-shoulder. But I decided to avoid ties (perhaps for tactical
>>>>>>>> reasons).
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Heikki
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Wed, Jul 22, 2015 at 7:02 AM, David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Eaux Contraire!
>>>>>>>>> Inclusion is de facto non-flame. Love is the answer.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> David Morris
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Tuesday, July 21, 2015, Dave Monroe <against.the.dave at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> ...  speaking of flame wars ...
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> On Tue, Jul 21, 2015 at 11:04 PM, David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> > Elected Officials are all we got in this semi-democracy. Love it
>>>>>>>>>> > or Leave
>>>>>>>>>> > it.
>>>>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>>>>> > We need to embrace democracy, with all its warts. We are
>>>>>>>>>> > extremely lucky to
>>>>>>>>>> > be living in a place where we would want to discuss this
>>>>>>>>>> > abstraction.
>>>>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>>>>> > David Morris
>>>>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>>>>> > On Tuesday, July 21, 2015, Dave Monroe
>>>>>>>>>> > <against.the.dave at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> >>
>>>>>>>>>> >> Americans will vote for almost anything except elected
>>>>>>>>>> >> officials.
>>>>>>>>>> >>
>>>>>>>>>> >> On Tue, Jul 21, 2015 at 9:33 PM, David Morris
>>>>>>>>>> >> <fqmorris at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> >> > Voting is so American Idol!  I want my choice to win!
>>>>>>>>>> >> > Face facts: Votes aren't gunna be backed up by essays.
>>>>>>>>>> >> > David Morris
>>>>>>>>>> >> >
>>>>>>>>>> >> >
>>>>>>>>>> >> > On Tuesday, July 21, 2015, John Bailey <sundayjb at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>>>> >> > wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> >> >>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> No, it just means that mathematical averages cannot capture
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> the
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> delightful diversity of our responses! Collating the
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> different lists
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> into one loses something the way that a plot summary of a P
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> novel will
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> never suffice.
>>>>>>>>>> >> >>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> On Wed, Jul 22, 2015 at 12:10 PM, David Ewers
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> <dsewers at comcast.net>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> > I feel so redundant!
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> > On Jul 21, 2015, at 6:53 PM Jolly good day we are having,
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> > John Bailey
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> > wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >> The order seems to remain the same.
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >> On Wed, Jul 22, 2015 at 11:55 AM, David Ewers
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >> <dsewers at comcast.net>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>> Me too!
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>> 1. V.
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>> 2. Gravity's Rainbow
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>> 3. Mason & Dixon
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>> 4/5. Against the Day
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>> 4/5. Crying of Lot 49
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>> 6. Vineland
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>> 7. Inherent Vice
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>> 8. Bleeding Edge
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>> On Jul 21, 2015, at 6:22 PM Jolly good day we are having,
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>> Mark
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>> Thibodeau
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>> I love the diversity of opinions, too, but I'm kind of
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>> surprised at
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>> how bad
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>> V. is faring!
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>> MT/J
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>> On Tue, Jul 21, 2015 at 9:08 PM, Ian Livingston
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>> <igrlivingston at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> Love the diversity of rankings in rating one great
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> author. Rather
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> like six
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> blind men describing an elephant. We each have our
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> opinions and
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> our
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> reasons
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> for them. I love GR, I truly do, and it may be the
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> greater work
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> for
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> all it
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> did to shape postmodernism, but:
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> 1. M&D
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> 2. GR
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> 3. AtD
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> 4. V. / COL 49  (tie)
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> 5. Vineland
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> 6. BE
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> 7. IV
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> 8. Slow Learner
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> On Tue, Jul 21, 2015 at 5:48 PM, glenn fuller
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> <glennfuller at sbcglobal.net>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>>> G.R.
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>>> A.t.D.
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>>> T.C.O.L.49
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>>> Vineland
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>>> M&D
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>>> I.V.
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>>> B.E.
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>>> V
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >>>
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> >
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> -
>>>>>>>>>> >> >> Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
-
Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l