DeLillo vs. Pynchon

[Ojingeo]

But Delillo, at his best, seems to actually care for his characters.

You might want to read Pynchon's Mason & Dixon.

yeah, i want to read that one! i'll pick up it up.

[Chris from Chicago]

Never read Pynchon.   

However, I did find myself desperately (and unsuccessfully) trying not to crackup on my morning commute when Tom referenced the reason for the length of "Underworld" as "because [Delillo] harbored a deep hatred for trees...."

Needless to say, coffee was spilled...

[Emily]

Pynchon's for snobs! Delillo, slobs.

[Greggulator]

Pynchon's for snobs! Delillo, slobs.

My favorite current-era slob writer is early Tom Perrotta. His early stuff is about regular people from Central Jersey doing Central Jersey things. His short-story collection about growing up is really good. The Wishbones (about a guy in a wedding band who is going through a crisis since he's now getting married) is really funny and shocking poignant. Election (yes, the movie) is one of my favorite books of all-time and captures the whole Typical Jersey High School aesthetic wonderfully. Joe College is about the son of a Jersey lunch truck driver (well before those became foodie chic) who goes to Yale (unfortunately, it kinda stinks).

I haven't read anything after that. I really want to get The Leftovers (how a Rapture-like event affects a small NJ town) -- might be my next Kindle purchase.
I didn't read Little Children.

[Kormod]

Slobs that read The New Yorker and listen to NPR.

[ChipSuey]

Slobs that read The New Yorker and listen to NPR.

I'm that kind of slob.

[B_Buster]

I read The New Yorker, but find NPR unlistenable. What does that make me? Half a slob?

[buffcoat]

Charlie Huston is my current favorite slob author.

[dave from knoxville]

I read The New Yorker, but find NPR unlistenable. What does that make me? Half a slob?

ob

[JonFromMaplewood]

Slobs that read The New Yorker and listen to NPR.

I'm that kind of slob.

Seconded.  Although the voice talent who says "Support for NPR comes from" makes me want to drive off the road.  Did they direct her to sound "self-satisfied?"

[ArchieFromPGH]

I can get into DeLillo more than Pynchon. I mostly get my DeLillo/Pynchon style kicks from Haruki Murakami.

[Chris from Chicago]

Slobs that read The New Yorker and listen to NPR.

I'm that kind of slob.

Seconded.  Although the voice talent who says "Support for NPR comes from" makes me want to drive off the road.  Did they direct her to sound "self-satisfied?"

Liam Kyle Sullivan does a good take on the NPR Voice.