Slow Learner

Slow Learner by Thomas Pynchon. Bantam.

Slow Learner is a collection of short stories written early in Pynchon’s career. All were written before the publication of V. except the last, which was written between V. and The Crying of Lot 49. Some characters, such as Pig Bodine and Victoria Wren, who show up elsewhere in Pynchon’s œuvre, make appearances in these stories.

I don’t know why I choose to read this, given how much I disliked Gravity’s Rainbow. It was an improvement, although that really isn’t saying much.

The maddening thing about Pynchon is that he can write well when he wants to. He is capable of writing enjoyable and readable passages and even complete books, but has more than once chosen not to. I can’t begin to understand, much less explain, why someone outside of academia would choose to do that.

If you come across a copy, I suggest reading “Low-lands” and “The Secret Integration” — those two were well written and entertaining. The others you might as well skip.