The Book Shopper

Coincidence? The Appearance of Thomas Pynchon in Rick Atkinson's World War II Trilogy

Even before this week's publication of Thomas Pynchon's latest novel Bleeding Edge, (remember this blog is the digital home of the Thomas Pynchon Muted Horn Dinnerware ) I had already been reminded of Pynchon via his early book Gravity's Rainbow, which was published in 1973. The opening sentence of the novel – “A screaming comes across the sky.” refers to the V-2 rocket, which is one of the main characters or symbols of the 760 page tome.

Now the weird thing is that I am currently finishing another tome, Rick Atkinson's The Guns at Last Light, the last book in his World War II Liberation Trilogy and it pays an indirect/ intentional/unintentional veiled homage to Pynchon's book. The Guns at Last Light is a history of World War II in Western Europe, 1944-45.

As you would expect Atkinson gives a more direct historical understanding of the unmanned V-2 rocket, which first stuck London on September 8, 1944. “...the V-2 rocket,” writes Atkinson, “was forty-six feet long, weighed almost thirteen tons, and carried a one ton warhead. Reaching 3,600 miles per hours and an apogee of sixty miles, it had an impact velocity, comparable to fifty big train engines slamming into a neighborhood.” What made the V-2 even more terrifying was that it was difficult to detect and it made no sound as it finished its trajectory. At first, Prime Minister Churchill tried to downplay the unexpected blasts by claiming that gas mains were bursting. But as the death tolls mounted (3000 British citizens) and thousands of homes reduced to rubble, that ruse was abandoned. The strategic Netherlands port city of Antwerp suffered even more destruction in the autumn of 1944. Germany used V-2s (developed by German rocket scientist Wernher Von Braun who later worked in the American space program) in an attempt to prevent the Allies from using the port to supply troops fighting in Europe.

When describing the V-2, Atkinson described the missile as “streaking across the heavens” which reads a lot like “screaming across the sky” to this longtime Pynchon reader. I am probably trying to make too many connections from these seemingly disparate authors. But who can blame me? Making connections, understanding how our personal history is often a combination of strange happenstances, coincidences, and trickle down of decisions by supreme commanders is one of the takeaways for anyone who reads both Atkinson and Pynchon.

The Ghosts of Chickamauga

While on a weekend getaway in Northern Georgia, I stopped by Prater's Main Street Books in downtown Clayton, where books meet ice cream. Attached to Prater's is a coffee and ice cream shoppe that serves Mayfield Ice Cream. Is there anything better than sitting outside on a sunny day eating a cup of Moose Tracks and leisurely reading ghost stories?

At Prater's, I had purchased a copy of Jim Miles' Civil War Ghosts of North Georgia (History Press, 2013). It seemed appropriate. A large portion of this thin-wafer of a book, gives accounts of ghost stories near the north Georgia battlefield sites including the Chickamauga National Battlefield. It also reminded me that the 150th anniversary of two day battle that raged on September 19-20, 1863 was just a day or two away. With nearly 36,000 Blue and Gray casualities, if battlefield ghosts exist, you would find them there. 

Civil War Ghosts is a collection of local folklore, newspaper articles, and accounts from bored park rangers, over-imaginative Civil War re-enactors, and paranormal professionals. The book is mixture of Halloween like ghost stories, odd humor and a reminder of the horrors of the Civil War. My favorite example is the haunted Gordon-Lee Mansion near Chickmauga, which served as a hospital during and following the battle. Miles writes, “The mansion, said to be haunted by some of the men who died there, is available for weddings, receptions, luncheons and other events.”

Miles also includes battlefield sites of the Atlanta campaign such as Pickett Mill State Park, Alltoona Pass and Resaca. Miles also includes a few pages on the life of Confederate Lt. General James R. Longstreet, who was one of General Robert E. Lee's finest commanders. Although Longstreet fought mostly in Virginia, he did bring his troops to Georgia for the Battle of Chickamauga. Thanks to Miles, what I didn't know is that after the war, Longstreet settled in Gainesville, Georgia where he died in 1904 of battle wounds he suffered in 1864. Longstreet is buried at Gainesville's Alta Vista Cemetery.

Heading back to Atlanta after a restful weekend in the mountains, which included reading the Miles book, I stopped by Longstreet's gravesite. It seemed like the least I could do.

My Personal Atlanta Area Book Calendar - September, 2013

After the sweaty, inky, commercial mayhem known as the Decatur Book Festival ended, I revisited the Decatur Arts Alliance and Art Institute of Atlanta-Decatur's exhibit on book art in downtown Decatur. Originally, the 47 selected works (one of the jurors was Brian Dettmer) was part of the festival, but those like me, who are adverse to crowds can get another look through September 20th at the Art Institute's Decatur location. Shown above is a hand sewn book by Candace Hicks, called Common Threads Vol. XLVI. Below right is Chris Perry's 123 Ripples: pressure.

Because I haven't had my fill of unusual books, I will probably head out to Cobb Civic Center in Marietta for the annual Georgia Antiquarian Book Association Book Festival, on Saturday, September 28th or Sunday, September 29th. I always find something interesting to read or someone interesting to talk to while there. It's worth the trip, even though I always seem to get lost as soon as get OTP.

And finally, on the Monday, September 23rd, Atlanta Braves vs Milwaukee Brewers game, it is The Book Shopper Blog Night at Turner Field. Bring any old raggedy-ass baseball book to the ticket window and you are eligible to buy a select Terrace View ticket for only $8. A few book shopper blog contributors and I will be there. I'll be easy to find.  I am the fan yelling mercilessly at Dan Uggla.