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1967671 No.1967671 [Reply] [Original]

I finished this a few weeks ago, and I can't help but feel I was trolled. There are some really brilliant/beautiful parts, but plotwise I felt it was lacking.

It was my first Pynchon book, though. What should I read next?

>> No.1967674

V.

You should have started with V.

>> No.1967679

>>1967671
Try the Crying of Lot 49, but grab a companion.

>> No.1967680

V. is really great, actually.

I think The Crying of Lot 49 is a better, simpler starting point. Then V.

>> No.1967685

A lot of people on this board recommed V., The Crying of Lot 49 or Gravity's Rainbow, you might want to try one of those.

>> No.1967730

I started with Gravity's Rainbow and it was, for me, definitely the right choice. COL49 is pretty much GR streamlined, but not nearly as powerful, or funny.

>> No.1967798
File: 38 KB, 359x450, bill murray.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
1967798

since this is a pynchon thread, what the hell. you would appreciate this. i'm facebook friends with this guy who is jackson pynchon's roommate at vassar. apparently his father sends him drafts of his books for commentary, as you would with an editor or a close friend. anyway, the roommate sez that the new pynchon novel is entitled "the japanese insurance adjuster", and the protagonist is a middle-aged japanese insurance adjuster who first achieved sexual climax in a cinema, during a screening of the 1971 musical "willy wonka and the chocolate factory", specifically during the scene in which violet beauregard turns into a giant blueberry.

the plot of the book hinges upon this man's rage that hollywood has only twice filmed a version of the only scene that is capable of capturing his sexual imagination, and so he turns to social media in order to solicit (politely) others to create the ideal "mindless pleasure" which he is incapable of getting through any ordinary channels.

anyway, this dude told me that, as with everything, pynchon had done obsessive research on the project. and that he became interested in it after doing the research into the origins of the internet as the military-industrial social control experiment of ARPAnet, that is included in "inherent vice". make of that what you will.

yours sincerely,
james franco

>> No.1967812

Wow, Against the Day is your first Pynchon... Woah woah.. nigga... what are you doing?

>> No.1967815

>>1967798
11/10

>> No.1967847

>>1967798
thanks for the potentially full of shit information, james franco. now, i will only think you're a terrible actor and writer whose success is mind-boggling, instead of saying you're a terrible actor and writer whose success is mind-boggling.

also, since this is a pynchon thread and everyone here seems to like to discuss the "idea of pynchon" instead of the fucking books themselves, i want to know if anyone has a favorite pynchon moment. mine's lyle bland and the great pinball difficulty, easily the greatest passage he's ever composed in my mind. yours?

>> No.1967876

>>1967798
i'm sorry. that was rude of me james franco, to say that your success is mind-boggling. i'm a jerk. thanks for the still potentially full of shit information on a new book by my favorite writer.

>> No.1967879

>>1967847

offhand what pops into my mind is: the theme song for the "Marquis de Sod" lawn-care service in Vineland; the summary of "The Courier's Tragedy" in The Crying of Lot 49; and the story of Byron the Bulb in GR. Oh, and the trading of disgusting food names ("Pimple pie with filth frosting, gentlemen") in GR. And the fact that Ida Lupino's name gives Doc Sportello an automatic erection.

Also, his essay in praise of Sloth, and the shout-out to "The Love Boat" in the liner notes for the Lotion album "Nobody's Cool."

>> No.1967884

>>1967876
>>1967847

if that was james franco why did he post a pic of bill murray?

>> No.1967893

>>1967884
don't know, don't care, don't really believe it was james franco. i just don't like being a jerk in any public forum, anonymous or not.

>> No.1967902

>>1967798

awshitniggafuckingfivestarpost.jpg

>> No.1967905

>>1967879
clot casserole!

that's one of my favorite parts, too...

>> No.1967916

>the greatest passage he's ever composed

'Twas the---Penis---he thought 'twas---his owwwwwn
Just a Big---Playful Boy---of a booooooone
With his Stout Purple Head
Sticking Up from the Bed
Where the Girlies---All Played----Telephoooonne
[Harmony: Tel-e-phooooooone]

>> No.1967992

>>1967798
lol wat? Pynchon sends his manuscripts to some 20 something year old for commentary? "Yo, Tom, new book is looking mighty chill, I liked the part about marijuana, word up."

Fav Pynchon moment would have to be something from Mason & Dixon. The transit or maybe the giant cheese or the ending. Fuck I love that book, OP read Mason & Dixon next.

>> No.1968002

OP here, thanks for the comments.

>>1967812
I tend to do things the hard way.

>> No.1968022

>>1967798

Cool story, bro

>> No.1968913

I read Against the Day first as well, didn't find it particularly difficult, due to it being awesome fun.