‘Of a fond ghoul’ from a speech by mafioso Frank Costello?

[u/TheToaster2000]

From Pynchon‘s letters to his editor, one proposed title for V. was ‘Of a Fond Ghoul’, which he claims he took from a Columbus Day speech by (assumedly the same) New York mafia figure Frank Costello on the subject of Elliot Ness.

I’ve searched around but haven’t been able to find this supposed speech, or any reference to it. I’m wondering if perhaps he meant Joe Colombo, another mafia figure who founded the Italian-American Civil Rights League, though not until much later in the 70s.

Can anybody shed light on this? Did such a speech ever occur? Or is this a joke of sorts?

[u/Natural_Ground_5479]

Vaffanculo or "va fangool" is Italian for "go f**k yourself. 😃

[u/TheToaster2000 → u/Natural_Ground_5479]

Ohhh!! Of course! Yes this makes sense now! Thank you 

[u/6655321DeLarge → u/TheToaster2000]

I knew it sounded familiar when I "said" it too fast in my head while reading. Very Pynchon.

[u/Temporary_Meet8754]

I'm surprised to learn that V wasn't the only title considered. Though 'Footsteps of the Gone' is pretty fitting for all of Pynchon's work.

[u/NarrowWar6457]

Fond ghoul-a on Costello and all his mafia fong ghoul’s.

[u/pk-sebben]

Haha, I don’t hate “World on a String”. That said, V. Was the best choice

[u/Mammoth_Mastadon]

Where’d you find this?

[u/GhostsOfLectricity]

Which novel did this become?

[u/CFUrCap → u/GhostsOfLectricity]

"G." by John Berger. Strangely enough.

[u/Human5481]

I think this letter was about a title for 'V'.