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/lit/ - Literature

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4229509 No.4229509 [Reply] [Original]

Aside from the revolutionary quips and the frequent puns, I found this book to be utterly incomprehensible. It was my first time reading Pynchon as he had somehow escaped my otherwise thorough combing of 20th century American lit. Am I missing something or is this just not one of Pynchon's best? Discuss/lambaste

>> No.4229518

>otherwise thorough combing
I'm guessing you're missed out on quite a lot of experimental fiction

>> No.4229530

>>4229509
It's about foundationalism in epistimology.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundationalism

>> No.4229564

well I'll admit that I'm more of an early 20th century fan than later but as far as "experimental" goes I've read (bear in mind some are not American) Borges, Nabakov, Calvino, Barthelme, Nicholson Baker, Lydia Davis, Eggers (not that experimental), DFW, etc etc others I can't think of. Can't say I've enjoyed all of them but certainly some of them

>> No.4229570

>>4229509
Even Harold Bloom admitted he didn't understand it on his first read.

You need to read it twice to get anything out of it, then on the 3rd, 4th read you'll really get into it.

>> No.4229573

>>4229570

Yeah he recommended that you actually start by reading it twice.

>> No.4229588

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/150029535

>> No.4229599

well I guess I feel less dumb now. thanks for surprisingly not being dicks everyone

>> No.4229862

I got nothing from it the first time I read it as well. I loved it the second time

>> No.4229873

Not OP, but: Is truth that for understanding Pynchon's books is necessary to be American (or at least, know a lot about US society etc.)?

>> No.4229878

>>4229873

He's very much so an American author.

>> No.4229879

>>4229873
He makes a lot of references to American happenings, but he makes a lot of references to everything too.

>> No.4229990

>>4229873
I think being american does help "get it". There is a particular american weirdness that I notice even my canadian friends don't grasp in his writing, even if they understood the content.

>> No.4230005

>>4229509
I suck for reading proper literature. I think the only 20th century american literary novel I've read is catch-22, which I loved. Aside from that I've read people like Tom Robbins and Robert Anton Wilson, and a bunch of pulpy sci fi.

What are the essentials of 20th century american lit?

>> No.4230181

>>4229873
You just need to know when he's using American slang, especially shit from the 50's and what not.

Stuff like, "So I sez to Maybell, I sez..."

Reading Pynchon is really about being able to follow all the voices he uses. Sometimes he's speaking as a pothead stoner, sometimes the nerdy scientist, sometimes he's quoting a film, all weaved through the same paragraph.

It should be funny if you understand him.

>> No.4230196

>>4229509
No, it`s not TRP`s best. He said that he doesn't like it in the introduction to 'Slow Learner'. He explains that it was it was pretty much a front for lewd jokes, one of the things he doesn't like about his own writing.

>> No.4230205

>>4230196
He said he doesn't like it because it was a puzzle book and no one got the reference when he was posting on /lit/ a couple years ago.

>> No.4230208

>>4230196
You do realise that he's playing with you in Slow Learner right?

>> No.4230777

>>4230208
Bull.