Best Thomas Pynchon books discussed here Podcasts (2025)

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Against the Day: Chapter 20 2:08:29

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18h ago2:08:29

2:08:29

A spot of smoky rooms and heavy drapes suits us as finesly as they do Lew, and somehow the more obscure the corner of history referred to by the couple-three iconoclasts he meets, the more our hosts find to discuss. There's plenty of room left in the shadows, as these dialogues reveal their purposes unorthodox even by the TWIT's standard! From the …

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Against the Day: Chapter 19 3:29:06

18d ago3:29:06

3:29:06

With how things have gotten so real these past few eps, it's time to see what Lew's been up to in cheery old Inglund! These chaps, Nigel and Nuisance or whatbeit, who've already brung him across the world just have not said quite enough about this infinite tetrangle! Even the demonstrably stable Grand Cohen's powerful rhetoric can not convince our …

1
Against the Day: Chapter 18 1:56:48

1M ago1:56:48

1:56:48

This week we wander through Jeshimon and track Reef as he rescues his father's harried remains from the just yet supernatural decay they'd have suffered in the desecrate airs of the town. Though Webb may rest his children and Mayva shall not and like them we wrestle with grief and legacy in our discussion. Those distressed by the forestalling of ou…

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Against the Day: Chapters 16-17 2:01:22

2M ago2:01:22

2:01:22

Checking in on the Traverse household, things are looking ... somber. As happy as the hosts are to all be present and accountable, the mood is somewhat dampened by the final ties breaking between Lake and her father, and where that leads Webb. Thankfully, the romantic backdrop of Nochecita cushions things a bit, even if Frank and Reef's glimpse at …

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Against the Day: Chapters 14-15 3:16:20

3M ago3:16:20

3:16:20

The Harvard-Yale game brings us by vector analysis to rearrive upon the scraggly isthmus of Long Island. The tales of Vibes are much rehearsed, wooing Kit between Dittany eyelashes and forms seen lonesome in the hallways. The fall of an earnest worker marks the end of Fleet's refrain, but lines up well to the west with Lew on a quest. What clashes …

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Against the Day: Chapters 12-13 2:16:16

3M ago2:16:16

2:16:16

As with the Chums from the center of the Earth, we return from temporary distraction, and yea, what hath time wrought? What did this planet itself cradle slumbering beneath its frozen extremities? What idols have we found ourselves prostrate before, as the thirsting tongues of flame awaken nerves deadened by that chill? May the scourge pass you by,…

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Against the Day: Chapter 11 3:33:31

4M ago3:33:31

3:33:31

We are thrilled to finally return to Against the Day and we are finally covering Part II - Icelandic Spar! We had planned on covering Chapters 11 and 12 in this episode, however we quickly realized that there was just too much in Chapter 11 to be able to condense it and Chapter 12 into one episode. As always, thanks so much for listening! Email: ⁠m…

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Bonus Episode - Alex Pheby 2:07:58

4M ago2:07:58

2:07:58

If you've listened to this show for any amount of time, you've probably heard Cody mention the Cities of the Weft trilogy by Alex Pheby, a phenomenal dark fantasy series that explores a number of fascinating themes and concepts all set in a tremendously built world, with a brilliant cast of characters. We were lucky to be joined by Alex Pheby to di…

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Bonus Episode - David Foster Wallace (w/ Johan Harstad) 2:08:46

5M ago2:08:46

2:08:46

We're back (kind of) with a bonus episode covering David Foster Wallace—his life, his work, and why you should (or shouldn't) read his work. Joining us in this conversation is our friend and fellow DFW enthusiast, Johan Harstad. We'll be back in a couple of weeks to get back into Against the Day, so stay tuned weirdos! As always, thanks so much for…

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Slow Learner: Introduction & The Small Rain 1:06:38

6M ago1:06:38

1:06:38

We're going to be covering the short stories in Slow Learner after each section of Against the Day, as we are going through that. This episode we discuss The Small Rain, Pynchon's first published short story. What we liked, what we didn't like, and how Pynchon has grown as a writer are all topics of conversation and we hope you'll enjoy listening t…

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Bonus Episode - Talkin' It Up with Johan Harstad 1:20:47

7M ago1:20:47

1:20:47

After discussing Part One of Against the Day, we spent some time talking with our guest, Johan Harstad, about whatever came to mind—the music of Hüsker Dü, David Foster Wallace, the films of Ingmar Bergman, and so much else. We'll be back in two weeks to discuss The Small Rain, the first short story from Pynchon's Slow Learner collection before div…

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Against the Day: Part One - The Light Over the Ranges (w/ Johan Harstad) 1:28:28

7M ago1:28:28

1:28:28

We've reached the end of The Light Over the Ranges, the first part of Against the Day! We were incredibly lucky to be joined by Johan Harstad, Norwegian author of Buzz Aldrin, What Happened To You In All the Confusion?, The Red Handler and, most recently, Under the Paving Stones, The Beach! We discuss our thoughts with everything that has happened …

1
Against the Day: Chapter 10 2:26:30

8M ago2:26:30

2:26:30

Woo-hee! finally, we cover some real ground. Back on the Inconvenience, the Chums are bickering and splitting within themselves, while here on land our own crew are becoming "frazzled" in their own way. It seems such polarization can only be expected as we reach the end of Part One, but stay tuned through this analysis for the announcement of our t…

1
Bonus Episode - David Lynch 1:37:36

8M ago1:37:36

1:37:36

With the recent passing of one of our favorite filmmakers, David Lynch, Kate and Cody sit down to talk about the impact of his work on our lives. If you aren't familiar with his body of work, the discussion covers his entire filmography without spoiling any major plot points. He was a truly unique artist and one who will be dearly missed by the bot…

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Against the Day: Chapter 9 2:05:50

8M ago2:05:50

2:05:50

This week in Mapping the Zone: Movement appears stalled. Not only do we remain with the Traverse household, but the only motion to be found is that of the mind. Kit begins to fathom the depth of Vectorism through the primal texts of electicity, and who is to find his talents but Nikola Tesla? It turns out, the understudy-in-perpetuity to Vibe, Fole…

1
Against the Day: Chapter 8 3:25:34

9M ago3:25:34

3:25:34

Having made our way to the Rockies, now is the time to dismiss doubts as to what purposes Webb might intend. Not much travel along traditional coordinates in this conversation, instead we meet the waterheads of the Traverse clan and contemplate the molds in which the bonds between workers and those rascals who despise all shapes of mandate were set…

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Against the Day: Chapter 7 2:45:28

9M ago2:45:28

2:45:28

Well, folks, the Chums have flown away, and our cartographers are stuck on ground duty. Don't feel too broken up, though! While the vertical may be abandoned for now, we'll trace and retrace Middle America alongside Merle Rideout and begin zooming in on Dally, a true heroine-to-be. Alchemy, photography, lovelornity, and more, await our kind listene…

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Against the Day: Chapters 4-6 3:44:40

10M ago3:44:40

3:44:40

While the Chums made landfall last episode, that descent wasn't even the half of it. In this week's ep, we go deeper into the world staging the Columbian Exposition, and begin acquainting ourselves with the relentless cascade of characters who populate Against the Day. You didn't think we'd be settling down for just another tale of carefree whimsy,…

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Against the Day: Chapters 1-3 2:45:35

10M ago2:45:35

2:45:35

Zounds! It's time to take flight with those loveable scamps, The Chums of Chance and head for the extravagent World's Fair! Join us on our journey into Pynchon's longest novel, Against the Day, and let us know if you have any questions or comments about the book! ***There is a slight audio issue that occurs during our introduction which resulted in…

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Bonus Episode - Yellow Back Radio Broke-Down by Ishmael Reed 53:13

11M ago53:13

53:13

Come one, come all, gather to hear of the tale of the Loop Garoo Kid and his travails through the Western wasteland as depicted within the covers of Ishmael Reed's second novel, Yellow Back Radio Broke-Down! Listen as our correspondent, Will, rants and raves about the depths to be found just at the surface of this gem of a book, let alone whatever …

1
Bonus Episode - Kefahuchi Tract trilogy by M. John Harrison 37:28

11M ago37:28

37:28

This week on Mapping the Zone, Luke leads us through a discussion of M. John Harrison's Kefahuchi Tract trilogy. The trilogy is comprised of the novels Light, Nova Swing, and Empty Space: A Haunting. If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipm…

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Bonus Episode - The Pale King by David Foster Wallace 56:08

12M ago56:08

56:08

In the newest installment of Kate's bonus episodes, she has turned away from her ordinary method of covering new voices in fiction written by women to talking about one of the authors she almost never stops mentioning on the main program. Yet she has chosen not to cover his primary work, but the less popular, technically unfinished novel that very …

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Bonus Episode - The Red Handler by Johan Harstad (translated by David Smith) 28:39

1y ago28:39

28:39

In this week's bonus episode, Cody discusses the metafictional, post-noir detective novel The Red Handler—simultaneously a love letter to and hilarious deconstruction of the hardboiled stories of the 30's and 40's. It's a highly entertaining and brilliantly written novel that anyone who loves hardboiled/noir novels is sure to enjoy. Grab a copy her…

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Bleeding Edge: Wrap-up with @Byron's Glowing Filament 1:50:20

1y ago1:50:20

1:50:20

We've finished another Pynchon book and convene once more to talk about Bleeding Edge; this time in its entirety. We're joined by Andrew, better known as Byron's Glowing Filament on Twitter and the creator of the Gravity's Rainbow Analysis substack (link below). We’re taking a (well-earned) break and will be back some time in November to start Agai…

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Bleeding Edge: Chapters 40-41 2:50:33

1y ago2:50:33

2:50:33

We apologize in advance for some audio issues which presented themselves after we had finished recording. We've done our best to clean them up and make everything sound as good as possible. Information on the guest for our Bleeding Edge wrap-up episode, as well as our next book and schedule changes for the show going forward are at the end of the d…

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Bleeding Edge: Chapters 37-39 2:49:01

1y ago2:49:01

2:49:01

If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better. https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezone As always, thanks so much for listening! Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/m…

1
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 34-36 2:42:46

1y ago2:42:46

2:42:46

The article mentioned by Luke: “Hallowe’en? Over Already?” https://x.com/Ethelmer77/status/963687634483793920?lang=en If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters: Books/Authors: The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright, The Trial by Franz Kafka If you like what we're doing and want to support the s…

1
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 31-33 2:29:41

1y ago2:29:41

2:29:41

If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters: Music: Mitch Hedberg - Mitch All Together, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart - Bob Newhart, Riot Grrrl music Books/Authors: The Shock Doctrine (2007) and No Logo (1999) by Naomi Klein, https://www.jsasoc.com/docs/Sep1101.pdf (Global Consciousness P…

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Bonus Episode: Fear and Loathing in America by Hunter S. Thompson 10:34

1y ago10:34

10:34

We are off this week, so Kate has recorded a reading of Fear and Loathing in America by Hunter S. Thompson, taken from his "Hey Rube" column for ESPN Page 2. As always, thanks so much for listening! Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.social Twitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpod Instagram: ht…

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Bonus Episode: A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace by John Perry Barlow 9:57

1y ago9:57

9:57

We're off this week, so Kate has provided a reading of John Perry Barlow's 1996 article, A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace. As always, thanks so much for listening! Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.social Twitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpod Instagram: https://www.instagram.…

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Bleeding Edge: Chapters 28-30 3:04:34

1y ago3:04:34

3:04:34

If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters: Films/TV: The Thin Man; In the Toilet (fan made song) Books/Authors: Thomas Pynchon’s Silicon Alley by Mike Godwin, The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi…

1
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 25-27 2:38:49

1y ago2:38:49

2:38:49

If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters: Films/TV: Archive 81(Netflix) Music: Big L, Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z Books/Authors: Hunter S. Thompson If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equi…

1
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 22-24 2:35:39

1+ y ago2:35:39

2:35:39

If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters: Films/TV: Primer (2004; dir. Shane Carruth); Motherless Brooklyn (dir. Edward Norton, Jr.) Music: Tiny Desk Unit - Live At the 9:30 Club 1980; Bad Brains - Bad Brains Books: The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing To Our Brains by Nicholas Carr, Neu…

1
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 19-21 2:06:19

1+ y ago2:06:19

2:06:19

If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media we talked about: Films/TV: Spaced (1999-2001) Music: Selected Ambient Works Volume II by Aphex Twin; Goblin (various film scores) Books: The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff; Falling Man by Don DeLilo If you like what we're doing and want to suppor…

1
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 16-18 2:59:26

1+ y ago2:59:26

2:59:26

If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media we talked about: Films/TV: Lost Highway (1997; dir. David Lynch) Music: Elvis Hitler - Green Haze: https://youtube.com/watch?v=4FFgxJsjqkg Books: The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-…

1
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 13-15 2:58:03

1+ y ago2:58:03

2:58:03

If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better. https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezone As always, thanks so much for listening! Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/m…

1
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 10-12 2:43:58

1+ y ago2:43:58

2:43:58

If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media we talked about: Films/TV: Aretha Franklin “Nessun Dorma” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k33sINjn9o0 Books: Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive…

1
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 7-9 3:05:48

1+ y ago3:05:48

3:05:48

If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media we talked about: Films/TV: Office Space (1999; dir. Mike Judge) Books: The Declaration of Cyberspace by John Perry Barlow; Free Culture by Lawrence Lessig; Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace; The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright (watch the Hulu Miniseries Adaptation, as well) If…

1
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 4-6 2:33:22

1+ y ago2:33:22

2:33:22

If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media we talked about: Books: Meet Me In the Bathroom by Lizzy Goodman; 9/11 as Mass Ritual by S.K. Bains https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montauk_Monster https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_Experiment https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum_Island_Animal_Disease_Center#Controversy If you…

1
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 1-3 2:38:09

1+ y ago2:38:09

2:38:09

If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media we talked about: Films/TV: We Live In Public (2009; dir. Ondi Timoner) Music: Satan Is Real by The Louvin Brothers Books: Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson, Hard-Boiled Wonderland and The End of the World by Haruki Murakami “Postmodern Syllabus” (mentioned in My Dinner With Will and…

1
Bonus Episode - David Bowie 1:08:04

1+ y ago1:08:04

1:08:04

Kate and Cody took advantage of the break to spend some time talking about one of their favorite artists, David Bowie. A wildly talented artist, Bowie's influence is wider reaching than many might have known. Whether you're a longtime fan of Bowie and his discography or you've never heard any of his music (you have, you just don't know it was him),…

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Bonus Episode - Octavia Butler's Patternist series 45:04

1+ y ago45:04

45:04

In the latest Mapping the Zone bonus episode, Luke explores the world of Octavia E. Butler, with a particular emphasis on her Patternist series. We'll be back on 12 April 2024 to begin our exploration of Bleeding Edge! If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be use…

1
Bonus Episode - Death In Her Hands by Otessa Moshfegh 32:46

1+ y ago32:46

32:46

Did you enjoy learning about books written by women in the modern literary landscape when Kate went on a long monologue about them several months ago? Have you potentially been pining for another installment ever since you heard the final dulcet tones of her voice tell you about Julia Armfield's masterpiece? No? Well, either way, she's done it agai…

1
Bonus Episode - Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard 25:55

1+ y ago25:55

25:55

In the latest Mapping The Zone bonus episode off the press, we welcome listeners to an introduction to the nonfiction book Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, published by Annie Dillard in 1975. As a non-plot-oriented work of narrative essay, feel free to kick off your work shoes and tune in without the looming spectre of spoilers. Tasting notes: profound exp…

1
Bonus Episode - INLAND EMPIRE 36:16

1+ y ago36:16

36:16

David Lynch gets about as much focus on this show as Pynchon himself (especially in the Vineland episodes), so it seemed right to do a bonus episode where Cody can finally get all of his Lynch obsession out and in the wild. While the first part of the episode is a sort of overview of Lynch’s filmography, the main focus is his most recent film, 2005…

1
Bonus Episode - My Dinner With Kate and Will 2:16:42

1+ y ago2:16:42

2:16:42

What you're about to listen to is a completely improvised, free flowing discussion between two hosts of Mapping the Zone. This conversation was captured as a result of a STOP RECORD button not being pressed, and two literary obsessives finding themselves locked in one of the best conversations they've ever had. Side effects may include: laughter, g…

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Vineland: Wrap-up with Seth from W.A.S.T.E. Mailing List 1:35:18

1+ y ago1:35:18

1:35:18

We've come to the end of Vineland and spend this final episode of the season discussing our overall thoughts and feelings on the book. Joining us is Seth from W.A.S.T.E. Mailing List (links below) to share his experience on his most recent readthrough of Pynchon's overlooked, underappreciated 1990 novel. Seth's social media: https://linktr.ee/waste…

1
Vineland: Chapter 15 (Part 2) 3:27:12

1+ y ago3:27:12

3:27:12

If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better. https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezone If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media we talked about: Films/TV: SLC Punk (1998; di…

1
Vineland: Chapter 15 (Part 1) 2:35:56

1+ y ago2:35:56

2:35:56

If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better. https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezone If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media we talked about: Films: The Maltese Falcon (1…

1
Vineland: Chapter 14 2:40:18

1+ y ago2:40:18

2:40:18

If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better. https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezone If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media we talked about: Films: 2001: A Space Odyssey…

Thomas Pynchon Books Discussed Here Podcasts