Quote:
Originally Posted by Prestidigitweeze
Then again, Gravity's Rainbow.
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Gravity's Rainbow is an extremely demanding read. I love the playful and crazy nature of his writing (when I can understand it! - haha); but then, I thoroughly enjoy reading postmodern literature. Gravity's Rainbow won the
National Book Award in Fiction, but was rejected by the
Pulitzer committee as being unreadable and obscene. (Literary-based jealously, I think I read, coming from one Gore Vidal who was either a member of the committee or had an undue influence in some way.)
Pynchon is highly regarded in the academic world.
HOWEVER, (IMHO), I feel Mobileread is mainly a genre-focused forum - which is perfectly fine! - and has also become (in the last 2-3 years) a programmers' delightful darling - which is also fine. There just may not be that many adherents to literary fiction here to sustain an active discussion or interest of postmodernism. The influence of Gravity's Rainbow has impacted upon our culture in many different forms: in our approach toward Literature, Film, Music, et al.
BUT, if you wish to read Pynchon, then I would suggest you start with the more accessible
The Crying of Lot 49.
If Pynchon has one more strong novel in him (I think he's 80 or 81 years old) and if it, too, transforms in some way our perception of thinking and is favorably received like the earlier novels
V and
Gravity's Rainbow, then he may finally win his (deserved)
Nobel Prize in Literature.
NOW, back to Horror fiction: So this zombie stumbles into Walmart and says"Arggghhhrgg" before falling onto the floor in a glutinous mess. "Clean up in isle 8," a pimply-faced adolescent says. (Hey! I don't pretend to be a comedian, but I love zombies!)
Recommended Horror Writer: If you love finely-crafted horror short stories, let me recommend
Figures Unseen, by the brilliant
Steve Rasnic Tem. I just bought this from Amazon where it has come down in price to $2.99. Check out this book if you value your brainnnzzzz.