Nov 152009
No, I haven’t read Thomas Pynchon’s “Gravity’s Rainbow.” But a while back I saw a copy at a book store with this cover:
It occured to me that I recognized that illustration. And as it turns out, I do:
It’s actually Space Drawing 14, Wasserfall Zeichnung SKW 970 B, dated January 23, 1945. And yes you too can own your own copy. And for blisteringly cheap… $5.50.
4 Responses to “Gravity’s Rainbow”
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You should read it; its a good book. “Send it up. Watch it rise. See it fall. Gravity’s rainbow.”
> You should read it…
Everything I’ve heard about it suggests that it’s one of those “artsy” sorts of books. Never had much use for those.
Aaarrgh! The book totally revolves around the V-2 and most of the characters have connections to it. Pynchon immersed himself in V-2 lore. It’s just a blunder for an art director to put a Wasserfall on the cover.
Once you have the idea “let’s put a blueprint of a rocket on the cover,” how could you fail to make any effort to put the right kind of rocket on the cover?
I’ve got that edition. Odd book, great cover.