Gravity's Rainbow
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4.1 • 145 Ratings
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
Winner of the 1974 National Book Award
"The most profound and accomplished American novel since the end of World War II." - The New Republic
“A screaming comes across the sky. . .” A few months after the Germans’ secret V-2 rocket bombs begin falling on London, British Intelligence discovers that a map of the city pinpointing the sexual conquests of one Lieutenant Tyrone Slothrop, U.S. Army, corresponds identically to a map showing the V-2 impact sites. The implications of this discovery will launch Slothrop on an amazing journey across war-torn Europe, fleeing an international cabal of military-industrial superpowers, in search of the mysterious Rocket 00000.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Gravity’s Rainbow has a reputation as the densest and most difficult novel this side of James Joyce, and we’re not gonna lie, it does require a certain level of dedication. But Thomas Pynchon’s surreal epic pays off for readers who hop on to its daffy, defiant wavelength. Pynchon’s countercultural view of World War II as a farcical face-off between equally depraved societies will feel familiar to fans of Catch-22 or Dr. Strangelove. But the iconoclastic writer’s profane, fantastical, sometimes horrifying, and deeply humanist world is singularly his own. Jump in and take the ride.
Customer Reviews
Funny, extraordinarily brilliant and a bit difficult
Not an easy book, but its pleasures are profound. Gravity's Rainbow is a tale told by a genius, signifying everything about the insane quest for control at the heart of the 20th century. And it's funny. Really funny. And detailed and dense and exquisitely written. And filled to the brim with sly puns and looney tunes. There are moments reading this book where I felt honored to be a member of the same species as its creator. It's one of the most outlandish stories ever told, spun by the finest storyteller you'll never know. But it's not for the faint of brain.
Absolute Genius
Very complex. Very funny. Absolute genius.
Challenging but Worth the Effort
Likely the most complex book I’ve read. I was amazed at the detail. But I enjoyed every minute I spent reading it.