Part noir, part psychedelic romp, all Thomas Pynchon--Private eye Doc Sportello surfaces, occasionally, out of a marijuana haze to watch the end of an era In this lively yarn, Thomas Pynchon, working in an unaccustomed genre that is at once exciting and accessible, provides a classic illustration of the principle that if you can remember the sixties, you weren't there. It's been a while since Doc Sportello has seen his ex- girlfriend. Suddenly she shows up with a story about a plot to kidnap a billionaire land developer whom she just happens to be in love with. It's the tail end of the psychedelic sixties in L.A., and Doc knows that "love" is another of those words going around at the moment, like "trip" or "groovy," except that this one usually leads to trouble. Undeniably one of the most influential writers at work today, Pynchon has penned another unforgettable book.
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"Serious fun, and a reminder of what I fell so hard for in Pynchon in the first place when I discovered the Crying of Lot 49 thirteen years ago. Pure, unadulterated whimsy, underscored with a darkness and weird melancholy that make it seem like it's more than just a really long joke. Contains great puns, constant smirk-inducing material, and retains TP's ability to provoke goosebumps at the same time. I was thrilled enough to actually draw out my reading of it so I'd enjoy it over a longer period of time and thus, possibly, more? Though I suspect Pynchon would argue against that principle."
— Jesse (5 out of 5 stars)
" not sure i was able to fully follow the twists and turns, but enjoyed it anyway. "
— michel, 1/31/2014" I remember really liking The Crying of Lot 49, so I thought that I should read Pynchon's newest book. While my memory of Lot 49 is a little hazy (I read it 12 years ago) there are some connections - crazy characters with equally crazy names, conspiracy, drugs, pop culture references, and did I mention conspiracy? While I would hang up on the occasional sentence, it was a pretty quick read and a relatively fun/interesting jaunt through an LA in the 60/70s that didn't really exist, but you kind of wish did (and that you were a part of it). I wish that I had a reading group that was well versed in film noir and late 60s/early 70s SoCal politics & culture to talk about the book with. "
— Josh, 1/30/2014" not the most memorable book in the long run, and the plot meanders a bit, but a very enjoyable trip during the process. great dialogue and language even though the plot is a bit thin and outlandish "
— David, 12/22/2013" Pynchon brings along his usual paranoid trappings and convoluted plotting, he taps into some entertaining historical culture, throws in a few original song lyrics, and turns out great entertainment. It's my kind of thing, very neatly packaged. "
— Karl, 12/22/2013" One of the best books I read this year. A rollicking look at the end of the 60s. Also a great deconstruction of the detective novel. Pynchon is at the top of his game. "
— Ken, 12/17/2013" Read it slowly for the use of language and colourful imagery, enjoy the humour and silly asides, the storyline (rather thin) scarcely matters in this instance. His most accessible - Pynchon lite? "
— Niall, 12/1/2013" Very unique style of writing...took a while to become accustomed to following the vernacular in the book as well as the shifting of scenes (time and place), but a great read in the end. "
— Sarina, 11/25/2013" Sometimes hard to parse the dialect and I certainly missed some of the references, but an enjoyable read. And I'm always happy and proud to get through a Pynchon novel. "
— Subbacultcha, 11/9/2013" Just meh. Nothing to really take or learn. "
— Jefferson, 11/6/2013" I really love Pynchon, so I will have to be tough on him. The Crying of Lot 49 is both a better mystery/detective novel and a more gripping and deeper read without even trying as hard as Inherent Vice does. "
— Adam, 9/28/2013" Unfortunately, I just can't get into Pynchon. "
— Aaron, 8/30/2013" The most accessible Pynchon novel, in my opinion, and not without his trademark wit and surrealism. "
— George, 6/10/2013" Almost certainly the first Pynchon book that could be described as "fun" or "breezy." RIYL: LA, late night-diners, marijuana, The Big Lebowski, marijuana, The Big Sleep, marijuana... "
— Ian, 4/14/2013" It borrows a lot from the Big Lebowski and noir genre writers like Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. It is bizarre and funny with more than a little casual drug usage. "
— Colin, 11/9/2012" For a novel in general, this gets a 4, but for a Pynchon novel, it gets a 3... While entertaining, it reminded me much more of Philip K Dick's non-sci-fi works than anything by Pynchon himself except for what I interpreted as a few seemingly self-referential shout outs to the Crying of Lot 49... "
— Deathmetalroze, 8/1/2012" Just couldn't get into this one after a few chapters. Was really looking forward to reading it, but...felt like I was just skimming over the surface of the story, it darts around so much. "
— Aurora, 5/14/2012" A groovy picture of 60s California, wrapped in a mystery, wrapped in Pynchon's distinct style. Pretty sneaky. "
— Lisa, 2/16/2012" Good read. Some highly quotable passages describing the end of the era. Very well researched down to the last detail. Good refresher for those who have difficulty remembering. "
— DWGibb, 10/21/2011" Meh, this book never really picked up any steam. Lots of interesting cultural references though. "
— James, 9/2/2011" A fun read. Probably has more appeal for readers who are Pynchon fans to begin with. "
— Wlwarner, 5/25/2011" Loved it. Reminded me of Vineland. "
— Nathan, 5/22/2011" Very enjoyable. All the reviewers said it was relatively accessible, and they were right. For Pynchon, this is beach reading. "
— Keef, 5/19/2011" It was a easy read for a Pynchon novel, it just lacked a really enjoyable ending. "
— Tova, 4/26/2011" Other people gave this way too high of a rating. It's a stupid crime/mystery novel. Put it in the category of pulp fiction. "
— Kara, 4/18/2011" Preocupado por lo que mecostará entender este Pynchon "
— Rafa, 4/17/2011" Loved living in this world. Laughed and laughed. Tremendous story. "
— Charles, 4/11/2011" I loved the vibe of this book. Pynchon doing psychedelic noir is perfect. "
— doug, 3/22/2011" didn't blow me away like "against the day", still a fun read though. "
— Martin, 3/14/2011" My first Introduction to Thomas Pynchon. Weird writing style.Sentences never come up for air <br/>entertaning in spots.Rant about 60's America. Overall I liked it. "
— Jack, 3/8/2011" I lost the narrative thread for a little while but it didn't matter. Hardboiled Hippie Detectiving and more. My favorite thing: Hippiphany-discovering the meaning of life while under the influence of hallucinogens. My 2nd favorte-referencing Cal Worthington! "
— Elaine, 2/28/2011Thomas Pynchon has written several
acclaimed novels and was a MacArthur Fellow. In addition to a National Book
Award, he has received the William Dean Howells Award of the American Academy
of Arts and Letters, which named Gravity’s
Rainbow the best novel of the decade.
Ron McLarty is a veteran actor of television, film, and stage as well as an award-winning audiobook narrator. He has more than 100 television appearances to his credit, including as a series regular on Spencer for Hire and Law & Order. His film career began in 1977 with a performance in The Sentinel and continued with such films as The Postman, Flamingo Kid, and, most recently, How Do You Know? His stage credits include Broadway and other productions. He has narrated more than 100 audiobooks, earning nine Earphones Awards and recognition by AudioFile magazine as a Best Voice in Mystery & Suspense in 2009 and 2010. He has twice been a finalist for the prestigious Audie Awards and then won the award in 2001 for Best Mystery Narration. He is also an accomplished playwright and an acclaimed novelist.