3 ms·
They probably did not read it. I've read the first third of the book, at some point I'll make another attempt. Pynchon's writing style is rather interesting in
by itronitron 4y ago
They probably did not read it.
I've read the first third of the book, at some point I'll make another attempt. Pynchon's writing style is rather interesting in that reading it, for me at least, requires dedicated concentration for multiple pages until the point when I get 'sucked into' the book and then it flows. The only person I know that has read through it did so on a road trip and just plowed through without trying to make sense of entire chapters.
Gravity's Rainbow is also more challenging because it spans a lot of different characters and subplots. The Crying of Lot 49 is much easier, and Vineland is an aberration. I know one person who thinks that Pynchon hired a ghost writer for Vineland because the writing style is so different.
- mason55 4y ago> Pynchon's writing style is rather interesting in that reading it, for me at least, requires dedicated concentration for multiple pages until the point when I get 'sucked into' the book and then it flows Yeah, my problem was that I'd get into the flow when there was action and things happening, and then zone out during the more descriptive/sensationalist passages, but not zone back in until I'd missed a bunch more action. I tried just reading it without worrying if I was zoning in and out but I found that I was missing so much that it wasn't holding my interest. I loved the book when I was able to really sit and focus hard on what I was reading but at the moment most of my reading happens in bed as I'm falling asleep and it's just not the kind of book that works for me for that kind of reading. Hopefully some day.
- beebmam 4y agoWhat is it like reading Pynchon translated into other languages? Has anyone done this before?
- hackandthink 4y agoI enjoyed the german translation of Gravity's rainbow. Elfriede Jelinek (one of the translators) is a famous austrian writer (though I don't like her plays). Quite a few years later I tried "Mason & Dixon" in English and gave up after maybe 20 pages. I bought the german translation and gave up after maybe 50 pages.