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Title: A Companion to the Crying of Lot 49 by J. Kerry Grant ISBN: 0-8203-1636-9 Publisher: University of Georgia Press Pub. Date: November, 1994 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.17 (6 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Use with caution
Comment: This little book written to provide insight into the myriad of Pynchon's obscure references and symbolic appellations in The Crying of Lot 49 is a worthwhile source of help if used with discretion and common sense. Although many of Grant's entries are useful to untangle some of Pynchon's more obscure references, others will simply lead you further down the path of confusion. The problem lies in the fact that while many of Grant's suggestions are useful, others simply bring about the same type of confusion that he is trying to address, since he often gives more than one possible explanation for each passage discussed. That is not to say that the book is not useful, it is, only that The Crying of Lot 49 by its very nature resists such means of explanation. But as reader of Pynchon already know, any help is welcome. As long as the reader keeps in mind that this book is meant only to introduce "possible meanings" and "complimentary facts", which may or may not correspond to what Pynchon actually has hidden in his words. Nonetheless a good source of info and a help to anyone exasperated by the twisting and turning of Pynchon's view of the postmodern world.
Rating: 3
Summary: At once both extremely useful and utterly useless.
Comment: The Companion essentially functions as a long annotation for references in the Crying of Lot 49. It does most allusions justice, although we may never know the extent to which Pynchon envisioned his worlds. As an explanation of references, the Companion is quite succesful but it does not entirely meet its expectations as a companion because it lacks any sort of thematic or liteary analysis. It is essentially a reference for reading Pynchon and not a companion per se. Utterly useless as an overarching thematic reading of Pynchon, A Companion to the Crying of Lot 49 should not go underappreciated in its the ability to explain Pynchon's allusions. This book may turn out to be extremely useful or utterly useless, and perhaps both.
Rating: 3
Summary: Helpful, But Misses Some Key Points
Comment: Grant's companion was very helpful in explaining contexts and allusions. It seemed to, however, miss a lot about the novel, especially Pynchon's dealing with the drug culture of the 60's. Its a solid companion that explains most modern critical interpretations of Pynchon, but such a great novel deserves better
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Title: The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon ISBN: 0060931671 Publisher: Perennial Pub. Date: 01 April, 1999 List Price(USD): $11.95 |
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Title: New Essays on The Crying of Lot 49 by Patrick O'Donnell ISBN: 0521388333 Publisher: Cambridge University Press Pub. Date: 31 January, 1992 List Price(USD): $18.00 |
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Title: A "Gravity's Rainbow" Companion: Sources and Contexts for Pynchon's Novel by Steven C. Weisenburger ISBN: 0820310263 Publisher: University of Georgia Press Pub. Date: August, 1988 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: V. by Thomas Pynchon ISBN: 0060930217 Publisher: Perennial Pub. Date: 01 April, 1999 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
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Title: A Companion to V. by J. Kerry Grant ISBN: 0820322512 Publisher: University of Georgia Press Pub. Date: 05 January, 2001 List Price(USD): $18.00 |
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