Friday, June 3, 2022

Slow Learner

In 2017 Matthew Cissell gave a lecture at the International Pynchon Week conference about Thomas Pynchon's time in NYC just after graduating from Cornell.

I wish Matt had told me, cuz I'm just a short train ride away!  Doh!

One thing he focused on in his lecture was the informal salon that affluent couple Hans and Greta Meyerhof hosted, at time including Pynchon and his set, aka "The Whole Sick Crew."

Apparently, Cissell was turned onto the subject by our interview with Mr. Tod Perry, back when we were investigating some potentially unknown photographs of Pynchon, an investigation which morphed into a broader look at Cornell in the 50's and the "Cornell School" of writers.

I recently posted about Cissell's request on the P-List for any info on the Meyerhofs.  I guess he got what he needed!

This is exactly the kind of thing we hope for.  Mr. Perry makes a few brief remarks about the Meyerhofs and it gets turned into an entire lecture.  When we're dealing with a writer like Pynchon, who is a very private man, anything we can study will shed light on the genesis of and motifs found in his work.  Rad!

We're glad to have made our small contribution to Pynchon Studies, and thanks Matt for giving up a shout out.

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