Thomas Pynchon‘s Inherent Vice is about a pothead private investigator asked by his ex-girlfriend to look into the disappearance of her new (married) boyfriend, who is a wealthy land developer. Set in the sixties in Southern California, the hippy movement is strong, surfing and surf rock rule, mistrust is rampant, and everyone is corrupt. Everyone is looking to score but it’s not always drugs they are looking for.
When I was younger, more naive, and more pompous, I steered clear of bestsellers. I assumed that they were for “the masses” and therefore, not me. The problem with that is a lot of our classic literature was created and read by the masses. It’s a bit childish to hold a book’s popularity against it. I remember seeing The DaVinci Code in hardback in bookstores. Then it was the paperback. Then, another special hardback, with illustrations. I wondered, how did this book get reprinted in hardback, for more money than the original hard cover? I read the description and thought, “ohhh, now I get it.” I purchased the more expensive illustrated edition and read.
The Oxford Comma Appreciation Society (OCAS) met for the second time. The chosen author and book was Joan Didion’s Slouching Towards Bethlehem.
Goth Grammarist 