Pynch Me

New Thomas Pynchon book out...

See it hear.

First few pages: set up is Doc (picture The Dude), a stoner PI in 1970 gets invited by his ex-gf to sort out a proposed conspiracy against a real-estate mogul... haven't got any further yet.

Anachronisms on the cover art - 1. all the boards on the roof of the car have three-fins, a design that didn't come into vogue until the late 80's. 2. picture on back of car shows R.I.P. Curl, referring to the surf wetsuit and leisure-wear maker RipCurl that in 1970 wasn't even a shack in Doug Warbrick's mum's Torquay backyard, let alone a world-wide designer label.

My concern is that Pynchon has just done a rewrite of The Big Lebowski, as it seems to overlap the Coens' film somewhat in the initial premise (and in tone). (Jeff Bridges must have signed for the movie already.) While that in itself wouldn't be necessarily bad, I am hoping for something more like The Crying of Lot49 than Vineland.

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Oh and if you think my anti-war/M-IC sentiments have run their course, an audiobook of Pat Buchanan's Churchill, Hitler and "The Unnecessary War" (it was free for my 1 credit) is playing in my ears at the moment.

The West is doomed, sure; we (European civilization) fucked ourselves over with two massive wars and, despite the appearances, we haven't recovered - populations ARE declining in Europe, but not elsewhere. Fragmented, autonomous regions are weak, so weak... It is inevitable. The West, the Decline thereof. It had been fun while it lasted, but from this position, it ain't got much kick left in it...

More later, insha-allah...

E@L