Thomas Pynchon's Slow Learner

This is a rare collection of short stories by this eccentric writer. The introduction to the stories proves to be a rare semi-autobiography by the secluded artist. Pynchon evokes a time in his life when he was just starting to write, and how he gave in to the many pretentious habits of the starting artist. He explains how he would go to the thesaurus to find a word that sounded good rather than just looking for the right word. The stories in this collection show him as a natural writer, a beginner with a great sense of where he was going with his talent. The stories are not so much surreal. I have to say that the story "Under the Rose" completely lost me; even after I finished reading it I had little idea of what the story tried to convey. I do, however, recommend this volume for anyone familiar with Pynchon's work or someone simply starting out.

Work has been very busy lately. I haven't been able to post every day due to this. I will try and read Rilke next so as to have more to say. I barely commented on Jung, I know, and it makes me feel bad. Cheers.