A Companion to V.

by J. Kerry Grant

Overview

To the uninitiated, Thomas Pynchon’s V. seems to defy comprehension with its open-ended and fragmented narrative, huge cast of characters (some 150 of them), and wide range of often obscure references. J. Kerry Grant’s Companion to “V.” takes us through the novel chapter by chapter, breaking through its daunting surface by summarizing events and clarifying Pynchon’s many allusions. The Companion draws extensively from existing critical and explicative work on V. to suggest the range of interpretations that the novel can support.

The hundreds of notes that comprise the Companion are keyed to the three most widely cited editions of V. Most notes are interpretive, but some also provide historical and cultural contexts or help to resurrect other nuances of meaning. Because it does not constitute a particular “reading” of, or “take” on, the novel, the Companion will appeal to a wide range of users. Rather than attempting to make final sense of the novel, the Companion exposes and demystifies Pynchon’s intent to play with our conventional attitudes about fiction.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780820322513
Publisher:	University of Georgia Press
Publication date:	02/01/2001
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	246
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.56(d)

About the Author

J. KERRY GRANT is a professor of English at St. Lawrence University and author of A Companion to V (Georgia).

J. KERRY GRANT is a professor of English at St. Lawrence University and author of A Companion to V (Georgia).

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction
A Note on the Title
A Companion to V.
References
Index

Editorial Reviews

A solid, most resourceful guide to a text that challenges even the most knowledgeable and patient readers.

Studies in the Novel

"A solid, most resourceful guide to a text that challenges even the most knowledgeable and patient readers."--Studies in the Novel

From the Publisher