Introduction

On this page, go to:
[+] Thomas Pynchon: Six Novels, Some Stories
[+] On This Site
[+] vheissu and you

You can equally check this out:
[+] This page in Dutch
[+] An index of this map
[+] Against the Day Home
[+] Mason & Dixon: Extended ToC
[+] Slow Learner Home
[+] V.: Extended ToC

Since his first novel V. (1963), Thomas Pynchon (US, 1937) published only five more novels: The Crying Of Lot 49 (1966), Gravity's Rainbow (1973) —which novel received the National Book Award— , Vineland (1990), Mason & Dixon (1997) and Against The Day (2006), as well as Slow Learner (1984), collecting five stories written at the beginning of his career. Apart from a few rare pieces of journalism, some introductions and a few support notices, he remains publicly silent since 1960.

Six novels, some stories. Yet, mr. Pynchon's reputation as a literary giant goes nearly unchallenged. Mr. Pynchon is honoured since 1979 with a academic periodical, Pynchon Notes, solely devoted to the further study of his works —which honour is very rare for an author still among us. About 30 book studies about his work have been published. Thomas Pynchon may have the reputation of being a difficult author, yet his work is not as hermetic as many think. Even more: one does not really (some say: really not) have to be acquainted with a number of, sometimes fashionable, literary theories. On the other hand: mr. Pynchon is quite reknown for gathering a tremendous amount of facts, and using those extensively in his prose —his striving for perfection begins with a careful research. The composition of his novels is very particular, which results in a remarkable and unique style. Here's the opening phrase of Mason & Dixon:

Snow-Balls have flown their Arcs, starr'd the Sides of Outbuildings, as of Cousins, carried Hats away into the brisk Wind off Delaware, — the Sleds are brought in and their Runners carefully dried and greased, shoes deposited in the back Hall, a stocking'd-foot Descent made upon the great Kitchen, in a purposeful Dither since Morning, punctuated by the ringing Lids of various Boilers and Stewing-Pots, fragrant with Pie-Spices, peel'd Fruits, Suet, heated Sugar,— the Children, having all upon the Fly, among rhythmic slaps of Batter and Spoon, coax'd and stolen what they might, proceed, as upon each afternoon all this snowy Advent, to a comfortable Room at the rear of the House, years since given over their carefree Assaults.

A simple and linear explanation of his work does not exist. There are indeed as many opinions about his work as mr. Pynchon has readers. It is this site's conviction that, above all, Thomas Pynchon is an ethical author. Is some of his work satire, Menippean or otherwise? Is what's left out more important than the text itself? Whatever the answer, reading a Thomas Pynchon novel is a dazzling experience: mixing high and low culture, science, surreal scenes, weird conversations, stories-in-the-story, poetry, elements out of science fiction, (not too) subtle jokes etc. . . . A Thomas Pynchon novel is a superb divertimento.

"Paola, did you know I have been blowing a silly line all this time. Mister Flab the original, is me. Lazy and taking for granted some wonder drug someplace to cure that town, to cure me. Now there isn't and never will be. Nobody is going to step down from heaven and square away Rooney and his woman, or Alabama, or South Africa or us and Russia. There's no magic words. Not even I love you is magic enough. Can you see Eisenhower telling Malenkov or Krushchev that? Ho-ho."
"Keep cool but care," he said. Somebody had run over a skunk a ways back.

[—1—]Like Lt. Tyrone Slothrop in Gravity's Rainbow (p. 27.5-6: 'the nine or ten generations tumbling back'), Thomas R. Pynchon, Jr. is the child of a very old American family. Some of the facts about his ancestors —mainly— and himself can be found here —though this Time Table (and some assorted documents) is not meant to be exhaustive. It will be clearly indicated when facts cannot be ascertained. Goal of this section is to show how the history of mr. Pynchon's family intertwines with the history of the United States, and most certainly with its origins. Since one of the main themes of Thomas Pynchon's work is his own country —especially its 'roads not taken'— this section might prove interesting for some. Others are given the opportunity to satisfy their curiosity. Since Matthew Winston's biographical essai on Thomas Pynchon (1975), there is not much that can be added.

[—2—]A second section contains some criticism and will not be reproduced without publisher and/or author having given authorisation to have these reproduced at Vheissu; this is why it does not contain a lot at the moment. But we're very proud to present you mr. Charles Hollander's most important articles to date, concentrating on the early work (including some journalism).

[—3—]The visitor is offered a Dutch version of this web site; a Greek Time Table is equally available (your computer needs the ISO-8859-7 language standard to view this page). Some documents are in French.

[—4—]There are a lot more web sites on Thomas Pynchon than this one; their addresses will be given on the Pynternet (sorry -couldn't resist) page. This section is part of a bigger one with more general information (some Q & A) , not in the least to thank the people who have been helping me out.

[—5—]As the information about where to find articles about Thomas Pynchon in several languages is rather scattered, Vheissu thought it might me a good idea to structure this. An interactive database is being developed. At the moment (February 2007) it contains about 1,300 bibliographical titles.

[—6—]As most of the other sites devoted to Thomas Pynchon tend to concentrate on the big novels, we thought it might be interesting to take a closer look at the early work. A first draft of an index to Low-lands is under construction.

This is what he had prepared her for —to inherit his own entanglement in the world, and now, with this perhaps demented Karmology hustle of Takeshi's, with the past as well, the thousand bloody arroyos in the hinterlands of time that stretched somberly inland from the honky-tonk coast of Now.

Your remarks —of whichever kind— are very welcome and much appreciated. Navigations is made as intuitive as possible, and every map has an easy-to-use index page. You're wondering why this site's called vheissu? Look here, or, better idea, grab a copy of V., and read.

The citation on the index page is from Mason & Dixon, an excerpt from one of the Reverend's Wicks Cherrycoke pamphlets, Christ and History (p. 349).

Welcome to Vheissu

—another Thomas Pynchon site—