Pynchon in Public Podcast

Returning from a summons into other-dimensional realms (see PIPcast and the Lugubrious Lawsuit), we begin a look at part 2 of chapter 9 in Thomas Pynchon’s first novel, V.

Check out this site for a decent write-up of the D’Annunzio/Fiume story: https://www.historytoday.com/miscellanies/fiume-escapade

Back from a recent brouhaha at Brew-Ha-Ha Brewreies out in Boise (see PIPCast and the Hoppy Hilarity), our hopped-up crew talks though the first section of chapter 9 in Thomas Pynchon’s first novel, V. Shownotes with links below.

This is a map of Africa after it was divided up in the 1884 Conference of Berlin. 

If you’re interesting in hearing one of the so-called “click languages” found in Namibia, check out this video.

Aug mentions an article called “Smoking Dope with Thomas Pynchon.” As of this posting, it’s available at the Pynchon Wiki.

Back from their fantastic adventures abroad (as told in The Pynchon In Public Podcast Meet the Huldufòlk), our intrepid team covers the chapter 8 of Thomas Pynchon’s first novel, V. Follow the links below for more information, reading, and/or rabbit holes.

Before you do that though, Aug has recently published an amazingly good book about his misadventure in search for a mythological bar in Berlin. You can find it here on Amazon. He’s also written an excellent article about the music scene in 1980s Berlin over at The Quietus.

Alan mentions that the Rusty Spoon, Profane and the Crew’s hangout, is based on the White Horse Tavern in Manhattan.

You can read the article “Paranoid Style in American Politics,” by Richard Hofstadter here at Harpers.

Aug mentions the article “Smoking Dope with Thomas Pynchon.” The folks at the Pynchon wiki have it available.

In which we look at the final three sections of chapter seven in Thomas Pynchon’s first novel, V.

Bo begins with a New York Times article by Ruth Bader Ginsburg. You can read it here.

Aug mentions an interest piece on Pynchon in the Boston Review.

Bo mentions another piece about Pynchon.

Lastly, Aug mentions the book Stranger Than We Can Imagine, by John Higgs.

In which we take a look at sections 6 through 8 of chapter 7 of Thomas Pynchon’s first novel V.

In which we have a look at sections two through five of chapter 7 of Thomas Pynchon’s first novel, V.

Bo mentions that Vheissu reminds him of The Vhorr, a novel by Brian Catling.

Alan mentions the movie Lost Horizon (1937).

Bo points out the Pynchon is the first person credited with using “shrink” to mean a therapist in the Oxford English Dictionary. Here is a screenshot.

The Birth of Venus painting at the heart of the story.

In which we start looking at chapter 7 of Thomas Pynchon’s first novel, V. We discuss the opening and the first two of the numbered sections.

In which we take a look as chapter 6 of Thomas Pynchon’s debut novel, V.

Paola and Alan talk about the Feast of San Gennaro, which you can read more about here.

In which we sit around talking in proper nouns about chapter five (v) of Thomas Pynchon’s V. We’ll be back in two weeks with a discussion on chapter six.

We’ve talked before about the Baader-Meinhof Complex. If you’d like to know more, you can read about it here.

Radiohead has a song called “Fog” on their album Knives Out that seems to reference V. They also have a version called “Fog (Again)” that was the source of a joke in our episode.

Bo occasionally mentions that he was born without a sense of smell, a condition called congenital anosmia. Here’s a very good video that explains the condition and what it’s like to live with, if you would like to learn more.

In which we examine the infamous nose job section, chapter 4 of Thomas Pynchon’s V.

Alan mentions Pynchon’s essay “Is it okay to be a Luddite?” You can read that essay here.

He also mentions the Dutch astronomer Tycho Brahe. He’s a very interesting fellow.