Justin
03-20-09, 08:04 PM
Okay, so I couldn't find a thread on him, so I figured I'd do it. Pynchon has been my favorite writer for quite some time now, and he's releasing his next novel on August 4th.
For those who don't know Pynchon; he is one of the most significant postmodern writers of all-time. Thomas is a well-known recluse who refuses to be seen in public. Thomas' work is notoriously thick, dense and humorous - his most popular work to this day is Gravity's Rainbow. One of my favorite books of all-time.
His body of work includes:
- V.
- The Crying of Lot 49
- Gravity’s Rainbow
- Slow Learner (a collection of short stories)
- Vineland
- Mason and Dixon
- Against the Day
His newest is called Inherent Vice. The novel has been described on Amazon.com as:
"Part noir, part psychedelic romp, all Thomas Pynchon— private eye Doc Sportello comes, occasionally, out of a marijuana haze to watch the end of an era as free love slips away and paranoia creeps in with the L.A. fog."
Followed by a brief synopsis:
"It’s been awhile since Doc Sportello has seen his ex-girlfriend. Suddenly out of nowhere she shows up with a story about a plot to kidnap a billionaire land developer whom she just happens to be in love with. Easy for her to say. It’s the tail end of the psychedelic sixties in L.A., and Doc knows that “love” is another of those words going around at the moment, like “trip” or “groovy,” except that this one usually leads to trouble. Despite which he soon finds himself drawn into a bizarre tangle of motives and passions whose cast of characters includes surfers, hustlers, dopers and rockers, a murderous loan shark, a tenor sax player working undercover, an ex-con with a swastika tattoo and a fondness for Ethel Merman, and a mysterious entity known as the Golden Fang, which may only be a tax dodge set up by some dentists."
Cover Art:
http://www.hyperarts.com/thomas-pynchon/_news/_assets/inherent-vice_cover-final.jpg
It sounds every bit as wacky and dense as his other novels. And I will admit, I'm very, very excited about reading it and studying it months after I'm done.
Anyway, does anyone have any thoughts on Pynchon or his newest work?
For those who don't know Pynchon; he is one of the most significant postmodern writers of all-time. Thomas is a well-known recluse who refuses to be seen in public. Thomas' work is notoriously thick, dense and humorous - his most popular work to this day is Gravity's Rainbow. One of my favorite books of all-time.
His body of work includes:
- V.
- The Crying of Lot 49
- Gravity’s Rainbow
- Slow Learner (a collection of short stories)
- Vineland
- Mason and Dixon
- Against the Day
His newest is called Inherent Vice. The novel has been described on Amazon.com as:
"Part noir, part psychedelic romp, all Thomas Pynchon— private eye Doc Sportello comes, occasionally, out of a marijuana haze to watch the end of an era as free love slips away and paranoia creeps in with the L.A. fog."
Followed by a brief synopsis:
"It’s been awhile since Doc Sportello has seen his ex-girlfriend. Suddenly out of nowhere she shows up with a story about a plot to kidnap a billionaire land developer whom she just happens to be in love with. Easy for her to say. It’s the tail end of the psychedelic sixties in L.A., and Doc knows that “love” is another of those words going around at the moment, like “trip” or “groovy,” except that this one usually leads to trouble. Despite which he soon finds himself drawn into a bizarre tangle of motives and passions whose cast of characters includes surfers, hustlers, dopers and rockers, a murderous loan shark, a tenor sax player working undercover, an ex-con with a swastika tattoo and a fondness for Ethel Merman, and a mysterious entity known as the Golden Fang, which may only be a tax dodge set up by some dentists."
Cover Art:
http://www.hyperarts.com/thomas-pynchon/_news/_assets/inherent-vice_cover-final.jpg
It sounds every bit as wacky and dense as his other novels. And I will admit, I'm very, very excited about reading it and studying it months after I'm done.
Anyway, does anyone have any thoughts on Pynchon or his newest work?