Comments on: Against the Days and Days and Days… Part 1: Why the Long Book, Dave? http://birdinthismirror.wordpress.com/2008/02/23/against-the-days-and-days-and-days-part-1-why-the-long-book-dave/ Diversion Enthusiast Society, est. 2007 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:02:32 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Dave http://birdinthismirror.wordpress.com/2008/02/23/against-the-days-and-days-and-days-part-1-why-the-long-book-dave/#comment-224 Dave Thu, 28 Feb 2008 20:20:32 +0000 http://birdinthismirror.wordpress.com/?p=39#comment-224 Um... that's very impressive? Um… that’s very impressive?

]]> By: FQ http://birdinthismirror.wordpress.com/2008/02/23/against-the-days-and-days-and-days-part-1-why-the-long-book-dave/#comment-221 FQ Thu, 28 Feb 2008 19:34:02 +0000 http://birdinthismirror.wordpress.com/?p=39#comment-221 Gravity's Rainbow is his masterpiece, far better than any of the others. Beautiful prose, hillarious at times, haunting at others. It is also a LONG book that requires more than one reading for comprehension of its numerous themes and messages. But it is easily enjoyed without that overall comprehension. BTW, I've read all of his novels... Gravity’s Rainbow is his masterpiece, far better than any of the others. Beautiful prose, hillarious at times, haunting at others. It is also a LONG book that requires more than one reading for comprehension of its numerous themes and messages. But it is easily enjoyed without that overall comprehension. BTW, I’ve read all of his novels…

]]> By: Dave http://birdinthismirror.wordpress.com/2008/02/23/against-the-days-and-days-and-days-part-1-why-the-long-book-dave/#comment-212 Dave Wed, 27 Feb 2008 22:31:01 +0000 http://birdinthismirror.wordpress.com/?p=39#comment-212 I found a lot more heart than I'd expected in Against the Day, as well. I'll probably be covering this in my next post. Like I said, I didn't finish Mason & Dixon, and it hadn't been what I was expecting at the time, but you're probably right about its accessibility (except for the hugeness issue - probably what sends most of us to Lot 49 first). I own it, so I should probably give it another shot one of these days. I wonder if there's been a general tendency toward sympathetic characters in his work since Gravity's Rainbow, but the descriptions I've read of Vineland don't suggest that this is the case. I found a lot more heart than I’d expected in Against the Day, as well. I’ll probably be covering this in my next post.

Like I said, I didn’t finish Mason & Dixon, and it hadn’t been what I was expecting at the time, but you’re probably right about its accessibility (except for the hugeness issue – probably what sends most of us to Lot 49 first). I own it, so I should probably give it another shot one of these days.

I wonder if there’s been a general tendency toward sympathetic characters in his work since Gravity’s Rainbow, but the descriptions I’ve read of Vineland don’t suggest that this is the case.

]]> By: WWTDD http://birdinthismirror.wordpress.com/2008/02/23/against-the-days-and-days-and-days-part-1-why-the-long-book-dave/#comment-211 WWTDD Tue, 26 Feb 2008 15:23:24 +0000 http://birdinthismirror.wordpress.com/?p=39#comment-211 Eh, that should be "Snowballs have flown their Arcs, starr'd the sides of Outbuildings..." Eh, that should be “Snowballs have flown their Arcs, starr’d the sides of Outbuildings…”

]]> By: WWTDD http://birdinthismirror.wordpress.com/2008/02/23/against-the-days-and-days-and-days-part-1-why-the-long-book-dave/#comment-210 WWTDD Mon, 25 Feb 2008 21:33:02 +0000 http://birdinthismirror.wordpress.com/?p=39#comment-210 Mason & Dixon may well be Pynchon's most accessible work. Not in the way it's written, certainly, but in the unusually linear plot and in the unique and egnuine affection for the characters. In most of Pynchon's books the characters are sacrificed to the mechanics of the story - think Tyrone Slothrop - but in M&D he seems to be writing from the heart for once. The ending is the most moving ending of all his books. Try it again..."Snowballs have starr'd their arcs..." Mason & Dixon may well be Pynchon’s most accessible work. Not in the way it’s written, certainly, but in the unusually linear plot and in the unique and egnuine affection for the characters. In most of Pynchon’s books the characters are sacrificed to the mechanics of the story – think Tyrone Slothrop – but in M&D he seems to be writing from the heart for once. The ending is the most moving ending of all his books. Try it again…”Snowballs have starr’d their arcs…”

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