Pynchon's California, ALA, San Francisco, May 27-30, 2010. Proposals due by Janary 25, 10.
Pynchon's California
With the publication of Inherent Vice (2009) it becomes possible to speak of Thomas Pynchon's "California novels." Unlike Pynchon's pagemonsters, which are set around global historical crises, The Crying of Lot 49, Vineland, and Inherent Vice are set in California in the present or recent past; they are also shorter and somewhat more traditionally plotted, and two revolve around Pynchon's only female protagonists. Two of his longer, globetrotting works, Gravity's Rainbow and Against the Day, also wind up in California. Papers are invited for this proposed panel on any aspect of Pynchon's "California novels" or his use of California as a setting in his writing.
Submit brief proposal (200-300 words) for a 20 minute paper, along with a brief bio or c.v. by January 25, 2010 to jmiller@nu.edu.