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The Pynchon Post: Part 2In which we reveal the title of his new novel.

By Troy PattersonPosted Thursday, July 20, 2006, at 5:11 PM ET

The Trystero muted post horn. Click image to expand.We earlier wondered aloud what the deal was with the fleeting appearance on Amazon.com of a synopsis of Untitled Thomas Pynchon. Was it a) a brilliant and deranged gag; b) a brilliant Barnum-caliber stunt; c) a screw-up. If you were playing at home and chose c), then we congratulate you on your perspicacity and enviable lack of cynicism. Pynchon wrote the description of the book, which is titled Against the Day, himself. Its initial posting was premature. (Also, your exceedingly polite reporter regrets any earlier implication that Penguin Press' publicity chief disavowed knowledge of the synopsis itself, as opposed to its presence on the Web site.)

Pynchon still has not returned Slate's phone call.

Click here to read Slate's earlier coverage of the Pynchon post.

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Troy Patterson is Slate's television critic.
Illustration courtesy Free Software Foundation Inc.
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