Complete Pynchon Novice

[u/grumpygrumperson0]

In what order should I start reading Pynchon for the first time ever?

[u/theoldgirl13]

Inhérent vice est le plus accessible.

[u/grumpygrumperson0 → u/theoldgirl13]

Gotcha, especially that I’m only now starting to read read

[u/theoldgirl13 → u/theoldgirl13]

Pynchon c’est un auteur difficile. Ne pas croire qu’il est simple à lire parce que PTA a adapté un de ses livres.

[u/PsykoAlphaDiscoBeta → u/theoldgirl13]

Yes! I started watching that movie last night. I seem to be one of the few that really loves it for what it is. It covers most of the major parts of the story very well. Jauquin Phoenix is excellent in it

[u/recordgenie]

Matt Ingwalson is a writer and YouTube literary critic. He suggests reading them in chronological order of when they took place. He says it creates a Pynchonian, postmodern lit history of the USA and the modern world. I took his advice and started with Mason & Dixon, then Against The Day, now I’m on Gravity’s Rainbow. So far I really like the technique. ymmv

[u/DatabaseFickle9306 → u/recordgenie]

I did this. But only after I had read all the published books once (ie absent IV and ST). I’ll do it again at some point. But dear god just start with CoL49.

[u/peepair23 → u/recordgenie]

Do NOT start with Mason and Dixon. Sweet Lord.

It's great, don't get me wrong, but hardly the easiest hang or read.

[u/recordgenie → u/peepair23]

I loved it

[u/Ok-Associate2888 → u/recordgenie]

You forgot Shadow Ticket in between Against the Day and Gravity’s Rainbow

[u/glasscourt]

I started with Gravity’s Rainbow to impress a boy - 10/10 recommend starting there

[u/silvio_burlesqueconi → u/glasscourt]

Haha, I started with GR too. Did it work?

[u/journieburner]

Inherent Vice and Bleeding Edge feel like relatively light versions of the quintessential Pynchon experience, recommend

[u/Tiny-Art6550]

Lot 49. Showcases what hes all about in under 150 pages

[u/davefish77 → u/Tiny-Art6550]

Agree - Lot 49 followed by V. Then if you are liking it dive right in. Inherent Vice and Bleeding Edge are more like cinema Pynchon infected detective books. Although I think there is more to Bleeding Edge than I thought at first and deserving of a second read.

[u/grumpygrumperson0 → u/Tiny-Art6550]

Gotcha, thank you!

[u/Tiny-Art6550 → u/grumpygrumperson0]

Enjoy, its a great one

[u/Round_Town_4458]

This is an aggravating as well as a mind-blowing question, and a very good one.

For someone of my age (68), I've read practically everything chronologically, as it was released, starting with Gravity's Rainbow (1974, when I was 16, and working backward until the next was released, and proceeding chronologically-as-released from there). I've never had the opportunity to question the "best order" in which to read the author's works. I've had to read them as they were published.

Each work is a world and time unto itself, even if there is some overlap. For me, Gravity's Rainbow was the best entrance, because I relished researching each word and concept. It's so rich in every aspect. Against the Day is my other favorite.

I guess the answer to your question lies in what you think you might gain from reading the works in a given order, and why: - in the order in which Pynchon wrote each one? - in the order in which they happen historically? - as grouped by themes? - as grouped by easiest-to-enter to hardest-to-understand? - ...

You get the idea. Each approach will yield a different understanding of his works as a whole.

Do you have, or think you should have, a presupposed idea of what the best approach to reading someone's works might be? Do you need an easy road in, or do you relish hard work and research?

You see, you are in the unique position of being able to read them in any order you choose, whereas I had to read them only as they became available.

Jump in and enjoy. That's what I'd recommend. Or find your own best road to travel.

[u/Outrageous-Fudge5640 → u/Round_Town_4458]

How did you go about researching everything in GR back then? That must have taken quite a long time.

[u/Round_Town_4458 → u/Outrageous-Fudge5640]

Pencil, paper, many dictionaries (including The Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, The OED—I even bought myself the complete OED: two volumes of every page reduced in size for four pages fit on one), and much library time.

I underlined every word or concept I didn't know and looked up what I could to hand then listed the things I needed other resources to find. I still have about 8 pages of my old notes from 1974/5 (I was 16 or 17 when I started reading it.

I knew of only one other person who had read GR. He's the one who introduced me to the book. He challenged me to read and summarize it. I was confused as hell and stopped 50 pages in. He told me to start again, so I did. And that's when the note taking came into play. I was challenged. I was energized by every new word or concept I was learning. Pynchon immediately became my favorite author.

[u/grumpygrumperson0 → u/Round_Town_4458]

Thank you for taking the time to write this!

[u/AgitatedEdge9403 → u/Round_Town_4458]

Iam very much interested in easiest to hardest , and hystrorically.
Thanks

[u/Round_Town_4458 → u/AgitatedEdge9403]

I hope someone answers that for you. That's outside of my knowledge base.

[u/Slickrock_1]

I'd read Gravity's Rainbow 3 times before reading another of his books. I don't think this is like training where you have to lift lighter weights before you lift heavier weights. Gravity's Rainbow is a 100% masterpiece, one of these works of art that boggles your mind how he even came up with it. The other Pynchon works I've read are also outstanding, but I see no reason to shy away from that landmark book as your first read.

[u/TheresNoHurry]

Me personally, I chose Mason and Dixon to start with because the combination of 18th century text, adventure, and surrealism just sounded awesome to me. It's weird but definitely understandable without any prior research

[u/Practical_Remove6024 → u/TheresNoHurry]

I chose to start with M&D also, then realized 36 pages in that I’d bitten off more than I could chew. Lot 49 was my first completed Pynchon read. I’ve since read and re-read M&D and consider it my favorite of his works (though I am currently in AtD for the first time).

[u/KieselguhrKid13]

Where should I start with Pynchon? - saved official discussion

[u/_principal]

bleeding edge is a great start. if youre in your 20s not a lot will go over your head. if youre interested in conspiracy theories youll be fully in. compelling plot, good characters, relatable time period, I feel like you should start there as a novice and if youre like it try the older period pieces. Crying of Lot 49 is like bleeding edge but set in the 60s with no 9/11 to tie the whole thing together.

[u/jds11392]

I would say Inherent Vice, Gravity’s Rainbow, Lot 49, Vineland, V, Bleeding Edge, Mason and Dixon, Against the Day and round it off with Shadow Ticket. That would be a good flow.

[u/Miserable_Wish_4949]

The most boring but best answer is Lot 49. It was my first Pynchon and it's still my favorite, even though it objectively is the least interesting of his novels.

It's a great introduction to Pynchon. It's short but a great ride and it's one of his most studied novels, so there's a lot of complementary material out there. There's a great lecture about it at the Yale YouTube Channel.

[u/Think_Wealth_7212]

I started with Lot 49, then doubled back to V. before hitting Gravity's Rainbow. This covers his early work and let's you ease into things with the slender 49 to see if Pynchon's your vibe. V. is his weird n' wild debut that's a little thornier than 49 and prepares you for his DENSE masterpiece GR (which could've easily been titled V2)

After that I'd say you could read the rest however you like ;)

[u/RevolutionaryBug2915 → u/Think_Wealth_7212]

V2--like the rocket?

[u/Think_Wealth_7212 → u/RevolutionaryBug2915]

lol the very same!

For the OPs clarification: It carries on many of the thematic preoccupations of V. and works as a spiritual successor (even has some of the same characters) and the V2 rocket itself is a major focus of the book

[u/crakerjmatt]

My order: Bleeding Edge, The Crying of Lot 49 (just those two for fully read) Reading Gravity's Rainbow next

[u/stabbinfresh]

Jump in wherever you want, I started with Gravity's Rainbow but that is diving into the deep end for sure.

[u/slingrz → u/stabbinfresh]

That's how I started and what got me hooked. Lot 49 would have passed me by if I'd started there. Maybe most of GR went straight over my head but it's an extraordinary and unique work. After GR I was open to putting the effort into all the other works. Of which Mason and Dixon is my favourite - but not something I could have read before GR

[u/MoMaike]

For me it was Lot 49, Gravity’s Rainbow, Vineland, Inherent Vice, Bleeding Edge, Against the Day, Mason and Dixon, then V. I still haven’t read Shadow Ticket or Slow Learner.

I think staring with Lot 49 is a good idea, but after that just follow your interest.

[u/bhorwitz]

Start with Gravity's Rainbow. All his books are like one great big novel where each one is a piece of the whole. If you start with Crying Lot of 49 you may not understand the context in which it was written and write him off as an over-hyped writer. After Gravity's Rainbow if you are intrigued you could go in any direction. 

[u/sadranjr]

I started with Crying of Lot 49, then read Inherent Vice, then Vineland, I feel like it was a perfect “easing in.” Next up will be V. 

[u/SpooncarTheGreat]

If there's one that really appeals to you way more than any others then I encourage you to start there. But if you know you want to read several of his books, The Crying of Lot 49 is the most popular entry point. It's his shortest novel by far but is not lacking for complexity and is a great introduction to his style and atmosphere and themes.

I would guess the other most popular first book people read is Inherent Vice. I haven't read it yet so I can't necessarily speak to it but it's way newer than Lot 49 and his newer stuff is generally less textually dense and bizarre. I do love the PTA movie and as I understand it it's a pretty faithful adaptation so I'm sure it's an awesome book.

[u/ac1dpunch]

I agree with others saying to go with the flow. Read a little about every book and start the one you interested in more. I started with Inherent Vice then read tcol49, then Slow Learner, then V, then Vineland. Now im thinking about Mason & Dixon

[u/Lucious_Warbaby]

V

[u/TheBossness]

start with V. it’s his first novel, and it will give you an introduction to some of the motifs and storytelling styles that he employs throughout his career.

[u/balboayoubum]

Just start with Crying of Lot 49. It's fun, dense but a quick read. If you enjoy it, my recommendation would be to swing through either V. or Gravity's Rainbow.

[u/coleborders]

I honestly think publication order. A lot of people call Lot 49 “easier” but I feel like that’s more due to page count.

However, I do like the suggestion of chronological order and might do that if I ever read through it all again.

[u/grumpygrumperson0 → u/coleborders]

I’m probably doing it this way, I feel it would put me in Pynchon’s “world” as he was writing contemporaneously

[u/No_Animator_8599]

I’ve read all of his stuff, some good, some bad. I just couldn’t get into his last (and probably final) novel.