With the publication of the first Thomas Pynchon novel in nearly 10 years, Penguin Press is faced with a dilemna. The 1,120 page epic is sure to be a hit with many reviewers and Pynchon’s loyal fanbase, but how do they go about promoting this book when the author will not do a book tour, will not go on The Daily Show or Oprah, will not even be photographed?

The book, titled Against The Day, is the first Pynchon since Mason & Dixon in 1997. A quote on Amazon.com posted earlier this year was reportedly from Pynchon himself:
“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 places not strictly speaking on the map at all. With a worldwide disaster looming just a few years ahead, it is a time of unrestrained corporate greed, false religiosity, moronic fecklessness, and evil intent in high places. No reference to the present day is intended or should be inferred.”

That’s about as much as you’ll get from Pynchon as far as promotion. Although the book will probably go over the heads of most Americans, who seem to have an insatiable apetite for anti-Bush bashings or Liberal smashing. Perhaps someday they’ll put down the ranting neo-politicos and actually read something intellectual. When they do, Pynchon will be there. No camera, please.

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