Gravity’s Rainbow Week Eight

It looks like page 334-389 of the Penguin Classic Delux Edition correspond
to his summaries “Chapter 4” through the end of “Chapter 7” of the LibGuy’s reading site

The 2020 publication jumped at me. What a beautiful lockdown gift, so many years after the fact.

– Nikki

Illustration by Zak Smith – borrowed from the Internet Archive

Reflections

I also ended up on a Pynchon reddit deep dive and the opinions on Gravity’s Rainbow are quite divisive. However, there’s a general trend that people seem to find it more enjoyable on the reread. I kept thinking that this guy’s style goes head to head with all the research I’ve read on working memory. I wonder if that first read gives a mental pathway through it, making the reread itself more enjoyable than the meandering madhouse wander through the first time. Even reading the above summary before the book itself this week led to a significant increase in my enjoyment of this section. Also, a hankering for pie. I may just end up assuaging that with a Big Ass Tart tomorrow (no targets other than my stomach, I promise!). Anyone else?

For anyone else who’s been struggling with this book, I’m curious what strategies you’re using to keep at it. For those who aren’t. I’m curious how, and if you have something in common. Looking forward to hearing from
you all tomorrow!