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Introduction
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Thomas Ruggles Pynchon Jr., born May 8, 1937 near Long Island, NY, is an American science-based fiction novelist best known for his portrayal of human paranoia and his reclusive personal life. His oeuvre consists of five major novels and numerous short stories - three of which are considered seminal works of post-WWII American fiction (Gravity's Rainbow, Mason & Dixon, & V.). His first published novel, V., won the William Faulkner Foundation's First Novel Award. It is Gravity's Rainbow however, published 10 years later in 1973 that is Pynchon's masterpiece. His novels are characterized by extensive character introductions, plot twists, timeline irregularities, and the infusion of pop culture themes. The genius of Pynchon as an author is perhaps made most clear from the numerous songs, eccentricities and defects of the multitude of characters that he presents.
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Scope
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This pathfinder is designed primarily for undergraduate and graduate university students interested in evaluations of Thomas Pynchon's works and his place in American literary history. Anyone with an interest in Pynchon, science-based fiction or twentieth-century American fiction should find this pathfinder useful. It is assumed that you, the user, are at least familiar with some of Pynchon's works, though references to his 5 novels are provided. Although highly theme-specific critical evaluations have been omitted, several sources focusing only on the evaluation of one specific novel are included.
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