For many reviewers, Thomas Pynchon’s sixth novel literally lives up to its title. The novel’s exuberant length, with 1085-1120 pages (depending on edition) by far the most expansive of Pynchon’s works, could thus be said to steer against the day of the (mass-)cultural needs of the 21st century. With electronic media fostering the trend of ever shorter times of attention, the book’s length and weight (“At 3 lbs. 6 oz.,

Against the Day

weighs just 3 oz. less than my toaster”, notes

Time

’s Richard Lacayo), as well as its complexity of content and style seem somewhat outdated for readers of the late 2000s. Yet, while Pynchon’s concession in 2012 to publish his novels in e-format thus appears as a softening of his ostensible luddite stance towards technology, one could…

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Citation: Huber, Sebastian. "Against the Day". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 01 April 2013 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=21738, accessed 19 March 2024.]

21738 Against the Day 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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