Slow Learner

by Thomas Pynchon

Paperback, 1985

Status

Available

Call number

813.54

Genres

General Fiction

All Topics

Fiction

Collection

Untitled collection

Publication

Bantam (1985)

Description

A collection of five stories written by the author between 1958 and 1964, four during the author's time in college, providing a glimpse into American life during the late fifties and early sixties.

User reviews

LibraryThing member paradoxosalpha

This aptly-titled collection of short fiction is a superfluity that I keep on my shelf only for the satisfaction of approaching completeness in my Pynchon collection. While none of these stories are really terrible, it is clear that by the time he had written Vineland, Pynchon had already

cannibalized his early shorts for everything of value, recycling the elements to much greater effect in his novels. I'd recommend it to scholars and sleuths contemplating the genealogy of Pynchon's writing I guess, but for most readers I'd say the contents are better encountered in their later, consummated forms.

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LibraryThing member sesquiped

Worth reading for any Pynchon fan, these stories are more approachable than his larger novels. The introduction is interesting for its autobiographical elements, since there's so little information about him available.

The five stories clearly improve in quality from the first to the last, although

I have to admit a personal preference for "Under the Rose" (the fourth) over "The Secret Integration" (the fifth). The latter is probably a better piece of writing, but I like the dark humor and the notion of one person and his doomed fight against the advancing of the world around him.

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LibraryThing member Elpenor

Worth getting for the preface, not for the stories.

LibraryThing member TeeMcp

After reading The Crying of Lot 49, this was a relief.
Vivid characters and interesting stories with a lot less commas and run on sentences. The story selection cuts a wide swath through society, embracing soldiers, garbage men & gypsies, college partying, spies, and the best of childrens make

believe games.

A keen eye for detail, both in specificity and volume, keeps the stories from getting lost in their own words. If you've never read Pynchon, I would recommend this as good book to start with,

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LibraryThing member mhanlon

I was always afraid to start this collection. Thomas Pynchon, himself, doesn't make it sound like a good time. I've had the book on my library shelf for a few years now, from where I'd occasionally take it down, start reading the intro, that first page where he partly disowns the writing therein,

and I'd get scared off.

But I did it. I must have been drinking heavily, that old Dutch courage (sorry, Dutch folks reading this, no offense intended). Maybe I was reaching for another book and grabbed this one by mistake, sat down, started reading and was whistling (literally, I suppose this was the type of stupor through which you whistle) through the introduction. It's interesting to watch a literary giant, an invisible literary giant like Thomas Pynchon dissect his earlier self's work, going into a critique of each and every story in the collection. If I had a time machine and memory-eraser, I would probably read the introduction last, as I'm sure it colored my impression of the stories.

My favorite story of the bunch was probably "Under the Rose." I enjoyed the spy vs. spy rush about Egypt and the old, weary spies who have been enemies for so long it's not clear which side they really back. I had a blast with the characters in "Low-lands" and I loved the secret history of a Long Island dump he's created for the story.
"Entropy" I enjoyed, though it may be because I'd recently been reading up on entropy, and I loved the idea of this "lease-breaking party… moving into its 40th hour."
The others were fine, as well, certain moments and situations, like the kid in AA in "The Secret Integration" or the practical joke planning and the intricacies thereof in the same story were excellent.

So in the end, dear Reader, the lesson is that you shouldn't be afraid to start (and continue reading) this book. It's not as good as his later stuff, but, paired with his own analysis in the intro, it's a fun peek into his development as a writer.

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LibraryThing member mbmackay

First published short stories which author views as juvenalia - but still worth reading.
Read Sept 2006

LibraryThing member James.Igoe

I've read much of Pynchon, so I expected a tough read, but found this collection of short stories surprisingly light, although the final story was excellent, thoughtful, and moving. As for the introduction, mentioned by someone as the worth of this book, he is nearly right, as it was an absolute

pleasure to read, both light and witty; it wa so good that at times I simultaneously laughed and cried.

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LibraryThing member francoisvigneault

A great place top begin with this intimidating author. "The Secret Integration" is fantastic.

LibraryThing member yarb

Not sure why it took me so long to tick off my final Pynchon. The man himself enumerates the problems with these early efforts in his introduction, written 25 years later. But there's still much to admire and it's fascinating to see Pynchon's writing in utero. My favourite piece is probably the

last, The Secret Integration. Still, the progression in just a couple of years from these uncertain efforts to the masterpiece that is V. beggars belief.

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