Aimee, when you're reading Watership Down, just remember that the author was a WWII veteran, and put the various warrens that they encounter into WWII-era terms. Cowslip's warren = appeasement, Efrafa = fascism . It's also fun just to read it as a comparison of leadership styles, leaving the historical elements out of it.

P-C, your appreciation for the language and the art of digression is mine.

It almost irked me when, just as they're about to start on the comic, Chabon puts in a chapter about Sam's dad. I was all, "Don't pull this Dan Brown shit on me!" But I figured that it was relevant in some way, and Chabon makes everything so mythic it's hard to stay irked. I mean, the end of the Escapist Origin Story chapter actually made me think the Escapist was real, for a minute or so. Then I realized he was being metaphorical. Or figurative. Probably the latter.

It's also fun just to read it as a comparison of leadership styles, leaving the historical elements out of it.

That's probably how my ninth-grade brain read it.

what the hell is the point of The Crying of Lot 49 ?

Short answer is: It's about confusion and powerlessness in consumer culture. Most of the characters are seeking answers, but the answers they seek aren't easy ones, and they're probably looking in the wrong place, anyway.

The long answer might take a while.

It's about confusion and powerlessness in consumer culture. Most of the characters are seeking answers, but the answers they seek aren't easy ones, and they're probably looking in the wrong place, anyway.

I...see. I was just looking for fun conspiracy nonsense.

The long answer might take a while.

Maybe I'll just stay stupid.

I was just looking for fun conspiracy nonsense.

There's always a lot of that in Pynchon's books, but he rarely clears it up because he's kind of a prankster.

There's a bunch of links about the book here: [link] This is fairly amusing: [link] Of course, you can always ask Wikipedia: [link]

There's always a lot of that in Pynchon's books, but he rarely clears it up because he's kind of a prankster.

Heh, I was just thinking about how LOT 49 is kind of like the DR. STRANGELOVE, except about "conspiracy" and even more po-faced.

The fact that he can't seem to resist funny/loaded names a la Terry Southern is one big tell that something funny is going on somewhere.

I was just cracking up reading the Wikipedia entry on TCOL49 because of the awesome names. For some reason, Dr. Hilarius being a Nazi scientist always seems over-broad in the context of the book, but it never fails to bring a smile to my face when I consider it elsewhere.

horse who's name I'm forgetting that got sent to the glue factory.

His name was Boxer. Poor Boxer. In fact I am sitting here tearing a bit thinking of how poor, loyal Boxer was betrayed. I sobbed and sobbed when reading the book. I am not sure that Animal Farm is the sort of book that it supposed to evoke an emotional response, but it did.

I cry at any book that has bad things happen to animals.

looks at Watership Down wearily

In the name of being well-read. I'll just double up in my AD's.

His name was Boxer.

Yes, thank you.

Poor Boxer.

Oh yes.

I am not sure that Animal Farm is the sort of book that it supposed to evoke an emotional response, but it did.

Me too. I think Boxer's fate was supposed get an emotional response, though.