The Modern Library 100 Best Novels Challenge discussion

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Good luck with G.R., I battled through this monster of a book about two years ago; it's like nothing else I've read. Might want to give folks a little more time to get through it . . . Looking forward to the discussion.

That's a great point. I've actually been wondering what people think of the reading schedule. Perhaps I should start a thread asking.

When I read it I found "A Gravity's Rainbow Companion" by Steven Weisenburger helpful. It doesn't necessarily explain the writing (maybe only Pynchon could do that) but it identifies the hundreds of obscure references throughout G.R.

A put a poll about reading frequency here.

Willis wrote: "When I read it I found "A Gravity's Rainbow Companion" by Steven Weisenburger helpful. It doesn't necessarily explain the writing (maybe only Pynchon could do that) but it identifies the hundreds ..."

I think I will like this book a lot. I am thankful for the book mention... I got it on my kindle for the CPU and have read the guides introduction. I think I may be lost with out it. Oh yeah, I did bring my towel, and am expecting a great adventure.

Resources Found Emily Dickenson Poems http://www.americanpoems.com/poets/emily... http://www.zaxart.com/ (He drew a picture for every page of the book).

THe book gets better and better as I read it along with reading the Weisenburger guide and also check out Zax Art who drew a picture for every page of the book. Awesome.

Wow, Zax's art is an awesome addition to this book. Great find, Gregory. Thanks!

Here lies a book that is a creative germ. It is really one where you allow it to wash over you and as it washes over you, the sand and particles stick to you, it is a book so creative it defies ones normal ability to read it.

Last week of July and I have managed to plod through half of GR. The fog of confusion is starting to lift and it has become somewhat easier reading.

Are we going to continue to read it through August it is a great big book.

Yes, I think the size and complexity warrants it.

Great thanks for taking our time on this novel. A great one indeed.

The acceptance speech for Gravity's Rainbow-National Book Award:

http://www.thomaspynchon.com/gravitys...

That was fun and interesting, Gregory!

Does it contain spoilers?

No, no spoilers. Just a strange acceptance speech by a strange fellow. But funny too..

I will note if there is a spoiler, I promise.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9td... THis gives some sense of the times described around page 525. Worth the view I promise.

I am utterly confused by this book. I haven't had more than an hour at a time to devote to GR, and I think to really get this book one must be immersed for hours. I find myself flipping back through pages the first fifteen minutes I begin reading (usually in the evening before bed) and things just aren't coming together for me with this one. I think I'm going to have to revisit this one when I have more time to concentrate. I feel bad because I've voted for this one the last few polls. I knew it was dense, but didn't realize just how dense it is. Several people insist that after several hundred pages it becomes a bit easier, and I appreciate the recommendation on the companion book. Perhaps I'll try that in the future.

Brandon wrote: "I am utterly confused by this book. I haven't had more than an hour at a time to devote to GR, and I think to really get this book one must be immersed for hours. I find myself flipping back thro..."
I found Pynchon to be awesome. Although it was the hardest book i have ever read.

I also found GR to be the most difficult, exhausting book I have ever read. Some of the prose is brilliant (such as the description of Roger's feelings of losing Jessica at wars end) but then we are reading of the life of a light bulb. Too little of the former and too much of the latter for me to say it's a masterpiece.

So far, I'm unfortunately on 20% of the way through it. The first little bit of it was dreadfully confusing but I'm making much better progress now.