Anyone going to read the new Thomas Pynchon novel?

[terrya]

"Against the Day". It's gotten some superb reviews. I was in the Barnes and Noble near work today...I almost bought it...but there were 35 reasons why I didn't. Just too pricey right now.

[Tace]

1. I Got Stuck In The Middle Of Lewis & Clark...

...still sitting on my bookshelf.

...same with Vineland.

...same with V.

Hey, I've got Against the Day to look forward to!

(I did get through Crying of Lot 49 and Gravity's Rainbow.)

[InternalDialogue]

4. Lewis & Clark has been "next" on my fiction list for a long time.

Now you've made me consider pushing it back again. Tsk-tsk.

:hi:

[InternalDialogue]

2. Last week's New Yorker reviewed it.

I must say it wasn't a glowing review, but the "drawbacks" in the eyes of the reviewer are the very things that one reads a Pynchon novel to discover -- the odd characters, supernatural blips, seasonings of synchronicity and then apparent randomness. The nut of the review was that there was really only one continuous plot line; the rest were dead ends or apparently unrelated to the "main" story.

I suppose it will go on my list, but I need to learn the joys of resisting new-book temptation when there are so many books already in my shelves. (Perhaps that's also one of your 35 reasons -- so much of the joy of reading is the joy of anticipating the reading!)

[sybylla]

3. I've read the Crying of Lot 49 in college and enjoyed it.

Since then I bought Mason Dixon but haven't had time to read it yet. I think I'll keep my money in my pocket for a little while yet. Maybe it will show up in my used book store by summer.