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Against the Day
 

Against the Day

by Thomas Pynchon

Spanning the period between the Chicago World's Fair of 1893 and the years just after World War I, this novel moves from the labor troubles in Colorado to turn-of-the-century New York, to London and Gottingen, Venice and Vienna, the Balkans, Central Asia, Siberia at the time of the mysterious Tunguska Event, Mexico during the Revolution, postwar Paris, silent-era Hollywood, and one or two... (read more)

Top tags: fiction,  literature,  historical fiction,  postmodern fiction,  pynchon (all tags)

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Amazon Reviews (5)
 

Most Helpful Reviews

Liked It

UPennBen
  • Rated 4 stars

“As with all Pynchon books, I love reading them, even if I don't understand them. Certain scenes are magical, the language is always wonderful, but many of this polymath's ideas are way over my head. This is definitely easier to read than many of Pynchon's books, and the plot is easier to follow than most.”

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Didn’t Like It

Noel W
  • Rated 2 stars

“Currently wading through this Pynchon. It has flashes of great fun. I'm enjoying all the anarchist/socialist plot elements and the slightly off-kilter/almost magic realist take on the turn of the century (that's 19th into 20th), but I can't say it's keeping me gripped. I keep thinking about putting it down, and then I'll come up against a little plot turn or a political dig that keeps me ploughing on. Not sure I'd recommend it as such, but maybe I just can't concentrate these days. So wadda I...”

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Community:
  • Rated 3.781818 stars
Amazon:
  • Rated 0 stars
  

Newest Comments

  • R. Stevan J

    r. stevan j said:

    “For me, when the story bogged down or I was having a hard time with it, I started looking harder for the humor that was on every page, if not every paragraph, found myself laughing out loud, and then got back into the story easily. It was indeed a struggle, but a struggle worth while. I ended up loving it, and may read it again.”

    posted Thursday, July 24 2008
  • annamstamp

    annamstamp said:

    “I am reading and enjoying this book very much. I am a sucker for a "quest" book and/or anything with airships and this has both.

    Here is a delicious quote:

    "At length, upon the imminent arrival of a posse comitatus who had learned of his attempted scheme to sell the state of Mississippi to a mysterious Chinese consortium based in Tijuana, Mexico..."”

    posted Tuesday, May 20 2008
  • marshall h

    marshall h said:

    “yes Pynchon is a difficult read. I finally got through Gravity's Rainbow after my 5th or 6th attempt. I can't say it was really worth that much trouble.
    I bought this one right after it came out and I am only on page 450. There is, however a very nice blog discussion for those who are a little lost. It is called "The Chumps of Choice" and basically gives summations for the story divided into groups of pages
    http://chumpsofchoice.blogspot.com/
    good luck”

    posted Saturday, April 5 2008
  • Jenny M

    jenny m said:

    “I couldn't get through this book. Perhaps someone out there can renew my interest. I had high hopes because I love post modernism and magic realism. Maybe someone can recommend some Pynchon that is more accessible.”

    posted Sunday, March 30 2008 ( | view 1 reply )
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