Learn slowly

Slow Learner: Early Stories

"Slowly Learning" collects five short stories from Thomas Pynchon's youth, published between 1959 and 1964: "A Little Rain," "The Lowlands," "Entropy," "Under the Rose," and "The Secret Fusion." Each story contains signature themes and techniques of Pynchon's fiction, and reveals many clues about his development: his naval career, his homage to le Carré, the origins of his obsession with entropy...
Pynchon and J.D. Salinger are two renowned American novelists known for their reclusiveness. However, Pynchon claims that, unlike Salinger, he is not a "recluse." For many years, public photos of Pynchon were confined to his university archives. When he received the National Book Award, his publisher arranged for an actor to accept it on his behalf. Although he has never made a public appearance, he has appeared (and voiced) numerous times on The Simpsons and on YouTube. He maintains his own lifestyle and does not shy away from interacting with the outside world.
"Learn Slowly" includes the preface he wrote for the first edition in 1984. As a successful middle-aged writer, he analyzes the shortcomings of his current work and reveals the immaturity of his youthful writing. For Pynchon, who typically avoids appearing in public, this candid preface unexpectedly provides a crucial insight into his intellectual world. The five stories in this collection were written between 1959 and 1964, when he was 22 to 27 years old. In the preface, he argues for the necessity of preserving these flawed practice pieces, highlighting the typical mistakes writers often make. Furthermore, for readers lost in the throes of "Gravity's Rainbow," these five stories, each with its own distinct style and temperament, offer a unique window into Pynchon's fiction.

2018-01-01

译林出版社

181

9787544767583