Jimmy M.'s picture
Jimmy M. from New England October 27, 2013 - 12:25pm
V.
14% (1 vote)
The Crying of Lot 49
43% (3 votes)
Gravity's Rainbow
29% (2 votes)
Vineland
0% (0 votes)
Mason & Dixon
0% (0 votes)
Against the Day
0% (0 votes)
Inherent Vice
14% (1 vote)
Bleeding Edge
0% (0 votes)
Total votes: 7

big_old_dave's picture
big_old_dave from Watford, about 20 miles outside London, Uk October 27, 2013 - 1:19pm

Great question I'm looking to get into the Pynchon myself, no idea which one to go for first

Renfield's picture
Renfield from Hell is reading 20th Century Ghosts October 27, 2013 - 1:49pm

Out of the ones I've read and attempted I would say CRYING OF LOT 49. It's early chronologically, it's mind-bendy, and it's like 160 pages.

Wendy Hammer's picture
Wendy Hammer from Indiana is reading One Night in Sixes October 27, 2013 - 3:10pm

I agree with going for Crying of Lot 49. It is a solid introduction to his style and themes. His short story "Entropy" is also a fine first step. If you are a veteran reader of postmodern fiction, Lot is still good, but leaping into Gravity's Rainbow may not be too fierce. Enjoy!

JEFFREY GRANT BARR's picture
JEFFREY GRANT BARR from Central OR is reading Nothing but fucking Shakespeare, for the rest of my life October 27, 2013 - 3:48pm

CRYING, for sure. It's my favorite, and arguably his best, in my not-overly-learned opinion. V, VIneland and Vice were all OK, Rainbow is great but a little much, Mason and Dixon was impenetrable (never did finish), and I've never read the others.

sean of the dead's picture
sean of the dead from Madisonville, KY is reading Peckerwood, by Jed Ayres October 27, 2013 - 4:11pm

I say fuck it, go for Gravity's Rainbow. It's tough and it's good. Hell, you're working on Infinite Jest right now, right? Why not? 

YOLO

 

SConley's picture
SConley from Texas is reading Coin Locker Babies October 28, 2013 - 5:54am

All i've read is Inherent Vice and it was pretty good. I think he's pretty wordy, right? I haven't read anything else at all.

Jimmy M.'s picture
Jimmy M. from New England October 28, 2013 - 2:33pm

Thanks everyone! Really interesting feedback! I'm actually trying to figure this out ahead of time because I'm considering writing about Pynchon for my literature thesis. It seems that Lot would be the best for this due to its shortness compared to his other works.  Nonetheless, Pynchon seems like a challenge that I'd really like to take on, and I plan on reading every one of his works someday.