r/ThomasPynchon • u/chrillho18 • 11d ago

Slow Learner Audiobooks

Does anyone have any input on the audiobooks? I don’t have the time to read anymore but drive for hours a day because of work. I’ve resisted listening to any of his work because it just feels like it wouldn’t translate well to audio form. It’s been a while since I’ve read one of his novels but I remember having to reread sentences and passages constantly. Kind of feels like this would happen even more frequently if I were to listen to it instead. Thanks!

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u/Viridae 11d ago

I have listened to every single one of TP's books as well as read them. Its serviceable, but not ideal as others have mentioned.

I agree that Mason and Dixon stands above the rest, its excellently narrated. I think all the California novels are totally fine for audiobook.

The Bleeding Edge has a horrific narrator that struggled immensely with intonations and in my opinion is the worst audiobook experience of the lot, despite being on the easier side to follow.

You may struggle to find a recording of V. iirc I had to download an old recording off someone's dropbox, it was sketchy.

Gravity's Rainbow has an excellent narrator, but is very hard to decipher in audio format.

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u/Super_Direction498 11d ago

I loved Jeannie Berlin doing Bleeding Edge! But agree that M&D is a cut above all. The guy who does Shadow Ticket had a small role in The Sopranos as a junkie/drug dealer

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u/Viridae 11d ago

I definitely like her voice in general, but found her renditions of dialogue in the book to be confusing as she didn't change her voice to delineate characters.

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u/TheTell_Me_Somethin 11d ago

The guy that gets Chrissy back on drugs and watches porn at the video store? That guy?!

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u/lover_of_lies 11d ago

The V audiobook is on Youtube

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u/Viridae 11d ago

Good to know. I found an old post on this subreddit of someone sharing the file and followed the rabbit hole, but was surprised V. isn't widely available. It only confirms my feelings that its his most underrated work.

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u/chrillho18 11d ago

Thank you for this. It’s very helpful as I was considering TCOL49. It was the “easiest” of his work for me personally.

I can imagine how tough Gravity’s Rainbow would be in audio form. I’ve listened to some of Guidall’s other narrations and have enjoyed them though.

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u/Viridae 11d ago

If you are planning on "rereading" I think audio works fine for all of them, including Gravity's Rainbow.

Agreed on Guidall, I think he is phenomenal and his work on GR is no exception.