Off The Hook

[poliphilo]

We ordered flow tests online and they arrived yesterday afternoon- delivered by our regular courier whose name is Jesus. We don't have Covid- hooray- and having found that out we immediately felt tons better and went shopping.

Sainsbury's has a rack of second-hand books you can help yourself to in return for a charitable donation. A copy of Gravity's Rainbow (unread by the look of it) signalled to me- and I know better than to ignore such approaches. I started it last night. I'm intrigued....

Comments

[cmcmck]

You've got to love a courier named Jesus!

[poliphilo]

If only because It's such fun to tell people, "I'm waiting for Jesus!"

[lokbiiviing]

I hope that if your courier is ever ill, his replacement is someone called "Angel". Jesus delivered happy news, anyway. :)

I haven't read Pynchon, but in my MA class there was a guy who did his thesis on him. It seems people love either Pynchon or hate him based on what they can get out of his rambl-y writings. Perhaps he is even more of a mirror to the reader than literature usually is?

I'm betting a cent on that you will mostly like him.

[flemmings]

I found Gravity's Rainbow pretty bloke-y. The other bookend from Catcher in the Rye. The male friend I was apartment sharing with at the time (in France) idolized him.

[poliphilo]

I am mostly liking him. I think I've come upon him at the right time. Had I tried to read him at an earlier age I would probably have found him exasperating.

[poliphilo]

I'm only about 30 pages in but, yes, it probably is rather blokey. I've been pleasantly surprised to find that this great American novel is mostly dealing with British people in locations I know well; Tunbridge Wells, for pity's sake! Incidentally, I don't suppose I've ever read a sourer, more palpable account of life in London at the fag end of the war. It's not an easy book but I seem to be in the right mood for it.

[flemmings]

IIRC the sourness continues throughout the book, or at least until the Khirgez Steppe.