Pynchon Pals is a podcast about finally reading Thomas Pynchon. Join co-hosts and good friends Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long as they talk through, break down, and identify exciting new recipes from the works of one of American literature&#39;s foremost figures.Just saw One Battle After Another? Picked up Shadow Ticket? Had Gravity&#39;s Rainbow on your shelf for a decade? Or just a longtime fan looking to revisit your favorites? Everyone&#39;s welcome to be a Pynchon Pal!Support us at <a href="http://patreon.com/pynchonpals" rel="nofollow">patreon.com/pynchonpals</a> for additional bonus episodes, and follow us <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">@pynchonpals.bsky.social</a>.

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/9/22/17/f6abac24-73ca-4942-8410-a864489f05f2_pynchon_pals_e27_mixdown.mp3

In this Action-Packed One-Year Anniversary Episode (!), Tyrone Slothrop takes us from Pirates of the Caribbean to Metal Gear Solid. Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 3.21, 3.22, 3.23, and 3.24, or pp. 527-527 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition. Support the show and get access to monthly bonus episodes at <a href="http://patreon.com/pynchonpals" rel="nofollow">patreon.com/pynchonpals</a> and follow us <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">@pynchonpals.bsky.social</a>. For the month of September’s Patreon-exclusive bonus episode, we’re watching Dave Green’s Coyote vs. Acme (2026).  Show Notes:Shirley Temple “On the Good Ship Lollipop” (<a href="https://youtu.be/WLLSqpYyPD8" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/WLLSqpYyPD8</a>)   Georgia Tech Fight Song (<a href="https://www.gtalumni.org/news/georgia-tech-traditions/fight-song.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.gtalumni.org/news/georgia-tech-traditions/fight-song.html</a>) Peenemunde Army Research Center on Wikipedia (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peenem%C3%BCnde_Army_Research_Center" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peenem%C3%BCnde_Army_Research_Center</a>)  Content warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, racism, misogyny, homophobia, xenophobia---Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (<a href="http://www.patf.io" rel="nofollow">www.patf.io</a> and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patfio.bsky.social" rel="nofollow"> @patfio.bsky.social</a>).Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album<a href="https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/polygondwanaland" rel="nofollow"> Polygondwanaland</a>.

27: In which we drive like a demon from station to station… to station to station (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 3.19-3.20)

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No sooner did we encounter the Anubis than, as the old sea shanty goes, “it’s time for us to leave her!” And thank heavens for that. But watch out, Slothrop—it’s werewolf season again. Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 3.19 and 3.20, or pp. 500-527 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition. Support the show and get access to monthly bonus episodes at <a href="http://patreon.com/pynchonpals" rel="nofollow">patreon.com/pynchonpals</a> and follow us <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">@pynchonpals.bsky.social</a>. For the month of September’s Patreon-exclusive bonus episode, we’re watching Dave Green’s Coyote vs. Acme (2026). Show Notes:“I FOUND ICE CUBE’S ‘GOOD DAY,’” by Donovan Strain (<a href="https://murkavenue.tumblr.com/post/16553509655/i-found-ice-cubes-good-day" rel="nofollow">https://murkavenue.tumblr.com/post/16553509655/i-found-ice-cubes-good-day</a>) “Blood libel,” in Britannica Online (<a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/blood-libel" rel="nofollow">https://www.britannica.com/topic/blood-libel</a>) “The Career of a Medieval Accusation in an Age of Science,” by Hillel Kieval (<a href="https://history.washu.edu/news/career-medieval-accusation-age-science" rel="nofollow">https://history.washu.edu/news/career-medieval-accusation-age-science</a>) “Italian Futurism and Avant-Garde Sculpture,” a conversation with Ara H. Merjian (<a href="https://yalebooks.yale.edu/2024/11/22/italian-futurism-and-avant-garde-sculpture/" rel="nofollow">https://yalebooks.yale.edu/2024/11/22/italian-futurism-and-avant-garde-sculpture/</a>) “MUSSOLINI: SON OF THE CENTURY | Official Trailer | Now Streaming on MUBI” (<a href="https://youtu.be/F_iRg076H6g" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/F_iRg076H6g</a>)   “Romantasy girl reads Gravity’s Rainbow,” by bakingisscience (<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/literature/comments/1voluzx/romantasy_girl_reads_gravitys_rainbow/" rel="nofollow">https://www.reddit.com/r/literature/comments/1voluzx/romantasy_girl_reads_gravitys_rainbow/</a>) Content warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, racism, misogyny, antisemitism, xenophobia, genocide, pedophilia, incest.---Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (<a href="http://www.patf.io" rel="nofollow">www.patf.io</a> and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patfio.bsky.social" rel="nofollow"> @patfio.bsky.social</a>).Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album<a href="https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/polygondwanaland" rel="nofollow"> Polygondwanaland</a>.

26: In which the Pynchon Pals all kinda help each other reach several retrospectively obvious conclusions (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 3.15-3.18)

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Rocketman: I have to go now. My planet needs me. (Note: Rocketman died on the way back to his home planet.) Meanwhile, the book returns, unfortunately for us and for everyone involved, to some of its go-to subjects. And no, not just toilets. Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 3.15, 3.16, 3.17, and 3.18 or pp. 476-500 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition. Support the show and get access to monthly bonus episodes at <a href="http://patreon.com/pynchonpals" rel="nofollow">patreon.com/pynchonpals</a> and follow us <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">@pynchonpals.bsky.social</a>. For the month of August’s Patreon-exclusive bonus episode, we’re watching Fritz Lang’s The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933). Show Notes:“Toilet sketch from Not the Nine O&#39;clock News,” by (<a href="https://youtu.be/j2b-wTJ8x3E" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/j2b-wTJ8x3E</a>)  “Gravity’s Rainbow fan art — The Toiletship,” by (<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/ThomasPynchon/comments/cbjdfy/gravitys_rainbow_fan_art_the_toiletship/" rel="nofollow">https://www.reddit.com/r/ThomasPynchon/comments/cbjdfy/gravitys_rainbow_fan_art_the_toiletship/</a>) “Head (ship’s restroom) of Navy Destroyer USS Kidd that sailed from 1943 to 1967. One seat is painted red: This was called the &#34;Hot Seat&#34; and it was reserved for crew who had sexually transmitted diseases,” by (<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Damnthatsinteresting/comments/rrcfbj/head_ships_restroom_of_navy_destroyer_uss_kidd/" rel="nofollow">https://www.reddit.com/r/Damnthatsinteresting/comments/rrcfbj/head_ships_restroom_of_navy_destroyer_uss_kidd/</a>) “Whistled language of the island of La Gomera (Canary Islands), the Silbo Gomero,” on YouTube (<a href="https://youtu.be/PgEmSb0cKBg" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/PgEmSb0cKBg</a>) “‘A Suspension Forever at the Hinge of Doubt’: The Reader-trap Of Bianca In Gravity’s Rainbow,” by Bernard Duyfhuizen SPOILER ALERT (<a href="https://www.pomoculture.org/2013/09/26/a-suspension-forever-at-the-hinge-of-doubt-the-reader-trap-of-bianca-in-gravitys-rainbow/" rel="nofollow">https://www.pomoculture.org/2013/09/26/a-suspension-forever-at-the-hinge-of-doubt-the-reader-trap-of-bianca-in-gravitys-rainbow/</a>) “What Was the Deal With Graham Greene Calling Shirley Temple ‘a Fancy Little Piece’?” by L.V. Anderson (<a href="https://slate.com/culture/2014/02/graham-greene-and-shirley-temple-what-to-make-of-the-novelists-sexual-review-of-wee-willie-winkie.html" rel="nofollow">https://slate.com/culture/2014/02/graham-greene-and-shirley-temple-what-to-make-of-the-novelists-sexual-review-of-wee-willie-winkie.html</a>) “The Party. Tomi Ungerer (Les Cahiers Dessinés),” by Pedro Moura (<a href="https://yellowfastcrumble.wordpress.com/2019/07/06/the-party-tomi-ungerer-les-cahiers-dessines/" rel="nofollow">https://yellowfastcrumble.wordpress.com/2019/07/06/the-party-tomi-ungerer-les-cahiers-dessines/</a>)  Supercut - Snake Asking Unnecessary Questions by (<a href="https://youtu.be/cGOb1TcO-8o" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/cGOb1TcO-8o</a>)  Clive Barker’s illustrations for Abarat (<a href="https://www.clivebarker.info/galleryabarat.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.clivebarker.info/galleryabarat.html</a>) and “Christopher Carrion,” specifically (<a href="https://www.clivebarker.info/carrion3.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.clivebarker.info/carrion3.html</a>).  Content warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, racism, misogyny, antisemitism, xenophobia, genocide, pedophilia, incest.---Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (<a href="http://www.patf.io" rel="nofollow">www.patf.io</a> and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patfio.bsky.social" rel="nofollow"> @patfio.bsky.social</a>).Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album<a href="https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/polygondwanaland" rel="nofollow"> Polygondwanaland</a>.

25: In which the Pynchon Pals disagree about what Thomas Pynchon’s best pun is from this week’s reading (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 3.12-3.14)

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Have we arrived at Thomas Pynchon’s single best piece of writing so far? We three may very well think so. Get the ladder—because this one’s going up in the rafters next to Mondaugen’s story and Oedipa’s dark night of the soul.Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 3.12, 3.13, and 3.14, or pp. 440-476 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition. Support the show and get access to monthly bonus episodes at <a href="http://patreon.com/pynchonpals" rel="nofollow">patreon.com/pynchonpals</a> and follow us <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">@pynchonpals.bsky.social</a>. For the month of August’s Patreon-exclusive bonus episode, we’re watching Fritz Lang’s The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933). Show Notes:The Creative Mind: Myths and Mechanisms, by Margaret A. Boden (<a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Creative_Mind/6Zkm4dz32Y4C" rel="nofollow">https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Creative_Mind/6Zkm4dz32Y4C</a>) “The Kekulé Problem,” by Cormac McCarthy in Nautilus (<a href="https://nautil.us/the-kekul-problem-236574" rel="nofollow">https://nautil.us/the-kekul-problem-236574</a>) “Were you a mail carrier or mayor at Exchange City? Kansas City, tell us your stories,” by Eleanor Nash in The Kansas City Star (<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article289893189.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article289893189.html</a>) Exchange City on r/LiminalSpace (<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/LiminalSpace/comments/11vmvvj/exchange_city/" rel="nofollow">https://www.reddit.com/r/LiminalSpace/comments/11vmvvj/exchange_city/</a>) “The Children’s Republic: A Scale-Model City in Argentina,” by Agustina Iñiguez in ArchDaily (<a href="https://www.archdaily.com/1128117/the-childrens-republic-a-scale-model-city-in-argentina" rel="nofollow">https://www.archdaily.com/1128117/the-childrens-republic-a-scale-model-city-in-argentina</a>) “Gunther von Hagens, Creator of Polarizing ‘Body Worlds’ Exhibits, Dies at 81,” by Clay Risen in The New York Times (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/28/science/gunther-von-hagens-dead.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/28/science/gunther-von-hagens-dead.html</a>) Content warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, racism, misogyny, antisemitism, xenophobia, genocide, pedophilia, incest.---Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (<a href="http://www.patf.io" rel="nofollow">www.patf.io</a> and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patfio.bsky.social" rel="nofollow"> @patfio.bsky.social</a>).Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album<a href="https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/polygondwanaland" rel="nofollow"> Polygondwanaland</a>.

24: In which, of all the fantastical buses out there, magic-school or cat-shaped, we had to end up on THIS one (Gravity’s Rainbow Episode 3.11)

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Well gang, we made it to our very own brennschluss point. Or at least we think we did? Join us for the thrilling first issue of ROCKETMAN and reencounter some old friends and some old, old friends. Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episode 3.11, or pp. 403-440 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition. Support the show and get access to monthly bonus episodes at <a href="http://patreon.com/pynchonpals" rel="nofollow">patreon.com/pynchonpals</a> and follow us <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">@pynchonpals.bsky.social</a>. For the month of July’s Patreon-exclusive bonus episode, we’re watching Merian C. Cooper’s King Kong (1933). Show Notes:Explanation of Lucretius’ “swerve” by Simon Trépanier in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (<a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/lucretius/#Book2" rel="nofollow">https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/lucretius/#Book2</a>) “Althusser’s Clinamen: Aleatory Materialism and Revolutionary Politics,” by Promise Li in Meditations: Journal of the Marxist Literary Group (<a href="https://mediationsjournal.org/articles/Aleatory_Materialism" rel="nofollow">https://mediationsjournal.org/articles/Aleatory_Materialism</a>) “Scottish Commentary on the Worst Tackle in the History of Football by Boris Johnson - McKallaster,” via YouTube (<a href="https://youtu.be/0UYrLfxvfhM" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/0UYrLfxvfhM</a>) Excerpts from Roland Barthes’ The Pleasure of the Text, .pdf via The University of Pennsylvania (<a href="https://web.english.upenn.edu/~cavitch/pdf-library/Barthes_Pleasure_of_the_Text.pdf" rel="nofollow">https://web.english.upenn.edu/~cavitch/pdf-library/Barthes_Pleasure_of_the_Text.pdf</a>) Content warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, racism, misogyny, antisemitism, xenophobia, genocide.---Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (<a href="http://www.patf.io" rel="nofollow">www.patf.io</a> and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patfio.bsky.social" rel="nofollow"> @patfio.bsky.social</a>).Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album<a href="https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/polygondwanaland" rel="nofollow"> Polygondwanaland</a>.

23: In which meet die ganze kaputte Bande und/y la dotación enferma (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 3.6-3.10)

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A round of applause for the staff at Thomas Pynchon’s local library in the early 1970s. Working overtime getting that man his Herero cosmologies and Soviet orthographical histories. And, hey, let&#39;s hear it for the projectionist at the repertory theater showing all those old slapstick flicks, too. Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, and 3.10, or pp. 365-403 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition. Support the show and get access to monthly bonus episodes at <a href="http://patreon.com/pynchonpals" rel="nofollow">patreon.com/pynchonpals</a> and follow us <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">@pynchonpals.bsky.social</a>. For the month of July’s Patreon-exclusive bonus episode we’re watching Merian C. Cooper’s King Kong (1933). Show Notes:“Thomas Pynchon Shows Us How White Writers Can Avoid Appropriation,” by Ariel Saramandi via Electric Literature (<a href="https://electricliterature.com/thomas-pynchon-shows-us-how-white-writers-can-avoid-appropriation/" rel="nofollow">https://electricliterature.com/thomas-pynchon-shows-us-how-white-writers-can-avoid-appropriation/</a>) Clip from Sun Ra’s Space is the Place (1974) (<a href="https://youtu.be/Fgz-iQ5lSw4" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/Fgz-iQ5lSw4</a>) r/AskHistorian thread on the New Turkic Alphabet in Pynchon (<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/djxp0c/in_the_book_gravitys_rainbow_by_thomas_pynchon/" rel="nofollow">https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/djxp0c/in_the_book_gravitys_rainbow_by_thomas_pynchon/</a>) “The National Writer,” by Ted Trautman via The Paris Review on Chinghiz Aitmatov, author of The Day Lasts More than A Hundred Years (<a href="https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2014/06/10/the-national-writer/" rel="nofollow">https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2014/06/10/the-national-writer/</a>) A baby aardvark at the Cincinnati Zoo (<a href="https://youtu.be/QwLqSvXnsK8" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/QwLqSvXnsK8</a>) An aardvark digging a hole (<a href="https://youtu.be/-u2oloi7O2Q" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/-u2oloi7O2Q</a>) Content warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, racism, misogyny, antisemitism, Islamophobia, xenophobia, homophobia, genocide.---Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (<a href="http://www.patf.io" rel="nofollow">www.patf.io</a> and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patfio.bsky.social" rel="nofollow"> @patfio.bsky.social</a>).Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album<a href="https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/polygondwanaland" rel="nofollow"> Polygondwanaland</a>.

22: In which one sequence, at least, is pretty straightforward (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 3.3-3.5)

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History, math, physics, literature, architecture. This book’s a whole course of study! Do we get a little confused here about the difference between “parabolic” and “catenary” arches here? Sure we do. But we’re pretty sure our explanations of calculus check out!Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 3.3, 3.4, and 3.5, or pp. 319-365 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition. Support the show and get access to monthly bonus episodes at <a href="http://patreon.com/pynchonpals" rel="nofollow">patreon.com/pynchonpals</a> and follow us <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">@pynchonpals.bsky.social</a>. For the month of July’s Patreon-exclusive bonus episode we’re watching Merian C. Cooper’s King Kong (1933). Show Notes:For more on Gaudí’s arches: “How a Gaudí Building Won Over a Strict Minimalist,” by Ayesha Khan via The Wall Street Journal (<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-a-gaudi-building-won-over-a-strict-minimalist-1457119548" rel="nofollow">https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-a-gaudi-building-won-over-a-strict-minimalist-1457119548</a>) “The math behind Gravity’s Rainbow (Part8): The shape whose centre of gravity is the Brennschluss point,” by Niklas Riewald  (<a href="https://niklasriewald.com/2022/02/21/the-math-behind-gravitys-rainbow-part8-the-shape-whose-centre-of-gravity-is-the-brennschluss-point/" rel="nofollow">https://niklasriewald.com/2022/02/21/the-math-behind-gravitys-rainbow-part8-the-shape-whose-centre-of-gravity-is-the-brennschluss-point/</a>) Content warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, racism, misogyny, antisemitism, homophobia, genocide.---Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (<a href="http://www.patf.io" rel="nofollow">www.patf.io</a> and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patfio.bsky.social" rel="nofollow"> @patfio.bsky.social</a>).Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album<a href="https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/polygondwanaland" rel="nofollow"> Polygondwanaland</a>.

21: In which the Pynchon Pals write a limerick (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 3.1-3.2)

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Is Slothrop a ghost? Is gravity time travel? Is Joe Biden a fan of the show? What’s in The Zone? These questions and more will not be answered… yet.Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 3.1 and 3.2, or pp. 285-319 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition. Support the show and get access to monthly bonus episodes at <a href="http://patreon.com/pynchonpals" rel="nofollow">patreon.com/pynchonpals</a> and follow us <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">@pynchonpals.bsky.social</a>. For the month of June’s Patreon-exclusive bonus episode we’re watching Robert Zemeckis’ Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). Show Notes:“Tantive IV” via Wookiepedia (<a href="https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Tantive_IV" rel="nofollow">https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Tantive_IV</a>) Brian Daley’s website (<a href="https://brian-daley.com/BrianDaley-books.htm" rel="nofollow">https://brian-daley.com/BrianDaley-books.htm</a>) “Gusev” by Anton Chekhov, translated by Constance Garnett, via Project Gutenberg (<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/57333/57333-h/57333-h.htm#Jlink2H_4_0009" rel="nofollow">https://www.gutenberg.org/files/57333/57333-h/57333-h.htm#Jlink2H_4_0009</a>) Joe Biden quotes Thomas Pynchon (<a href="https://youtu.be/u0zog-s3UBU" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/u0zog-s3UBU</a>) Orson Welles’ “Cuckoo Clock” monologue from The Third Man (<a href="https://youtu.be/cydkTy6GmFA" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/cydkTy6GmFA</a>)  “Ya Got Trouble” from The Music Man (1962) (<a href="https://youtu.be/LI_Oe-jtgdI" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/LI_Oe-jtgdI</a>) “Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius,” by Jorge Luis Borges, .pdf via University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (<a href="http://faculty.las.illinois.edu/rrushing/242/ewExternalFiles/Borges.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://faculty.las.illinois.edu/rrushing/242/ewExternalFiles/Borges.pdf</a>) Content warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, racism, misogyny, genocide.---Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (<a href="http://www.patf.io" rel="nofollow">www.patf.io</a> and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patfio.bsky.social" rel="nofollow"> @patfio.bsky.social</a>).Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album<a href="https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/polygondwanaland" rel="nofollow"> Polygondwanaland</a>.

20: In which Patrick uncovers the Pynchon-Star Wars connection (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 2.6-2.8)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/6/3/3/01589664-61c5-4a28-bf47-edccae48dd3b_pynchon_pals_e19_mixdown.mp3

Debauchery. Grotesquerie. Eschatology. Showtunes. That’s Thomas Pynchon, for ya! Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 2.6, 2.7, and 2.8, or pp. 247-282 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition. Support the show and get access to monthly bonus episodes at <a href="http://patreon.com/pynchonpals" rel="nofollow">patreon.com/pynchonpals</a> and follow us <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">@pynchonpals.bsky.social</a>. For the month of May’s Patreon-exclusive bonus episode we watched Hitler&#39;s Secret Weapon: The V-2 Rocket at Peenemunde (1977) (<a href="https://archive.org/details/HitlersSecretWeapon" rel="nofollow">link via </a><a href="http://archive.org" rel="nofollow">Archive.org</a>), V2: Nazi Rocket a.k.a. Hitler&#39;s Space Rocket (2016) (there seems to be a couple cuts or versions of this one across streaming platforms and maybe international distributors—but here’s a <a href="https://youtu.be/1R_VosHA9W8" rel="nofollow">link to one version on YouTube</a>), and “V2 Assembling and Launching” (1947) (<a href="https://youtu.be/amL3CnZNCb0" rel="nofollow">link via YouTube</a>).Show Notes:“The Great Mouse Detective - The world&#39;s greatest criminal mind (lyrics)” via YouTube (<a href="https://youtu.be/8UQg4zb9dsA" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/8UQg4zb9dsA</a>) An open-access article that very probably contains spoilers beyond where we are in the book, but which goes deep on Pynchon’s sources for the equation we talk about in this episode and others: Engelhardt, N. &amp; Engelhardt, H., (2018) “The Momentum of Pynchon&#39;s Secret Formula: Gravity’s Rainbow’s Second Equation between Archival Sources and Fiction”, Orbit: A Journal of American Literature 6(1). (<a href="https://doi.org/10.16995/orbit.486" rel="nofollow">https://doi.org/10.16995/orbit.486</a>)Songfacts interview with Devo that mentions “Whip It”’s Pynchon inspiration (<a href="https://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/devo" rel="nofollow">https://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/devo</a>)Content warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, racism, misogyny.---Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (<a href="http://www.patf.io" rel="nofollow">www.patf.io</a> and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patfio.bsky.social" rel="nofollow"> @patfio.bsky.social</a>).Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album<a href="https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/polygondwanaland" rel="nofollow"> Polygondwanaland</a>.

19: In which this book is sort of like The History Channel meets The Great Mouse Detective meets Severance meets Riverdale meets Dumb and Dumber (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 2.3-2.5)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/5/20/3/2663b8ef-b8bc-41af-ba9d-9c4cab70a67e_pynchon_pals_e18_mixdown.mp3

Ah, now this is what we’ve been missing! The sun, the sea, the songs! This episode’s all escapades along the esplanade. At least until the paranoia sets in. Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 2.3 through 2.5, or pp. 208-247 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition. Support the show and get access to monthly bonus episodes at <a href="http://patreon.com/pynchonpals" rel="nofollow">patreon.com/pynchonpals</a> and follow us <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">@pynchonpals.bsky.social</a>. For the month of May’s Patreon-exclusive bonus episode we’ll be watching Hitler&#39;s Secret Weapon: The V-2 Rocket at Peenemunde (1977) (<a href="https://archive.org/details/HitlersSecretWeapon" rel="nofollow">link via </a><a href="http://archive.org" rel="nofollow">Archive.org</a>), V2: Nazi Rocket a.k.a. Hitler&#39;s Space Rocket (2016) (there seems to be a couple cuts or versions of this one across streaming platforms and maybe international distributors—but here’s a <a href="https://youtu.be/1R_VosHA9W8" rel="nofollow">link to one version on YouTube</a>), and “V2 Assembling and Launching” (1947) (<a href="https://youtu.be/amL3CnZNCb0" rel="nofollow">link via YouTube</a>).Show Notes:“Weather Station Kurt,” the secret Nazi weather station in Labrador, via Wikipedia (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather_Station_Kurt" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather_Station_Kurt</a>) “Pynchonesque” film series at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, programmed by Jesse Trussell (<a href="https://www.bam.org/film/2026/pynchonesque" rel="nofollow">https://www.bam.org/film/2026/pynchonesque</a>) “Spray of Glory: The Seltzer Bottle,” by Anthony Balducci (<a href="https://anthonybalducci.blogspot.com/2021/07/spray-of-glory-seltzer-bottle.html" rel="nofollow">https://anthonybalducci.blogspot.com/2021/07/spray-of-glory-seltzer-bottle.html</a>) Chuck Jones’ Wile E. Coyote Rules via Wikipedia (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wile_E._Coyote_and_the_Road_Runner#Laws_and_rules" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wile_E._Coyote_and_the_Road_Runner#Laws_and_rules</a>) Content warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, racism, misogyny, xenophobia, genocide, animal abuse.---Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (<a href="http://www.patf.io" rel="nofollow">www.patf.io</a> and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patfio.bsky.social" rel="nofollow"> @patfio.bsky.social</a>).Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album<a href="https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/polygondwanaland" rel="nofollow"> Polygondwanaland</a>.

18: In which Patrick finally finds an excuse to do his Jimmy Stewart impression (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 2.1-2.2)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/5/5/2/2a4d8f49-41ce-43e1-bb70-6464d522f9b9_pynchon_pals_e17_mixdown.mp3

Do we dare go beyond “Beyond the Zero”? Well, first we’ve got to meet a bunch of characters who will surely—surely—be important later. Then, this book heard you liked the occult, so it put a séance in its séance so you can speak to the dead while you speak to the dead. Finally, Roger and Jessica just keep breaking our hearts. Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 2.1 and 2.2, or pp. 181-208 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition. Support the show and get access to monthly bonus episodes at <a href="http://patreon.com/pynchonpals" rel="nofollow">patreon.com/pynchonpals</a> and follow us <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">@pynchonpals.bsky.social</a>. For the month of May’s bonus episode, we’ll be watching Hitler&#39;s Secret Weapon: The V-2 Rocket at Peenemunde (1977) (<a href="https://archive.org/details/HitlersSecretWeapon" rel="nofollow">link via </a><a href="http://archive.org" rel="nofollow">Archive.org</a>), V2: Nazi Rocket a.k.a. Hitler&#39;s Space Rocket (2016) (there seems to be a couple cuts or versions of this one across streaming platforms and maybe international distributors—but here’s a <a href="https://youtu.be/1R_VosHA9W8" rel="nofollow">link to one version on YouTube</a>), and “V2 Assembling and Launching” (1947) (<a href="https://youtu.be/amL3CnZNCb0" rel="nofollow">link via YouTube</a>).Show Notes:<a href="https://library.unc.edu/music/unc-school-songs/" rel="nofollow">“Hark the Sound,” by William Starr Myers</a>, a.k.a. “Far Above Cayuga&#39;s Waters,” a.k.a. “Annie Lisle,” a.k.a. the Yoyodyne “Hymn” via the UNC Library <a href="http://web.guggenheim.org/exhibitions/picasso/artworks/maids_of_honor" rel="nofollow">Picasso’s “Las Meninas,</a> or one of 58 anyways, via the Guggenheim Museum<a href="https://youtu.be/PuLaUYQFIwg" rel="nofollow">“Is Time Real? The Physics Behind the Illusion of Time”</a> with Carlo Rovelli, via Quanta Magazine<a href="https://www.cbr.com/revisiting-mcduffies-six-degrees-of-st-elsewhere/" rel="nofollow">“Six Degrees of St. Elsewhere,” by Dwayne McDuffie</a>, the origin of the Tommy Westphall Theory, via CBR <a href="https://pynchoname.com/" rel="nofollow">Thomas Pynchon Name Generator</a> (spoiler alert?)<a href="https://drunkpynchon.com/2018/04/09/gwenhidwys-drink/" rel="nofollow">Gwenhidwy’s Drink</a>, via Thomas Pynchon’s Liquor CabinetContent warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, racism, misogyny, xenophobia, genocide, albeism, antisemitism.---Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (<a href="http://www.patf.io" rel="nofollow">www.patf.io</a> and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patfio.bsky.social" rel="nofollow"> @patfio.bsky.social</a>).Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album<a href="https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/polygondwanaland" rel="nofollow"> Polygondwanaland</a>.

17: In which we tour Mr. Pynchon’s Mysterious Society for Peculiarly Gifted Bureaucrats (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 1.17-1.21)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/4/21/21/0c65e140-842d-4454-ac0b-58d03de90a9e_pynchon_pals_e16_mixdown.mp3

GR just keeps getting V.-ier and V.-ier. Luckily, there’s a funny scene about candy waiting for us on the other end. And hey, it’s our favorite couple Jessica and Roger! Oh dear, they look very sad…Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 1.17-1.21, or pp. 139-180 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition. Support the show and get access to monthly bonus episodes at <a href="http://patreon.com/pynchonpals" rel="nofollow">patreon.com/pynchonpals</a> and follow us <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">@pynchonpals.bsky.social</a>. Show Notes:<a href="https://www.tcm.com/articles/1531928/kristen-lopez-on-freaks-1932" rel="nofollow">“Kristen Lopez on FREAKS (1932),”</a> via Turner Classic Movies<a href="https://www.history.ox.ac.uk/tulipmania-garden-historians-perspective" rel="nofollow">“Tulipmania: A Garden Historian&#39;s Perspective,”</a> via University of OxfordContent warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, racism, misogyny, xenophobia, genocide, ableism. ---Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (<a href="http://www.patf.io" rel="nofollow">www.patf.io</a> and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patfio.bsky.social" rel="nofollow"> @patfio.bsky.social</a>).Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album<a href="https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/polygondwanaland" rel="nofollow"> Polygondwanaland</a>.

16: In which Crest the savior is born (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 1.14-1.16)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/4/7/3/64eaa295-12e5-46d4-953e-ae774b391380_pynchon_pals_e15__mixdown.mp3

Discussions of Pavlov bookend interdepartmental conspiracy and pseudo-domesticity. Meanwhile Slothrop, like Benny Profane and Herbert Stencil before him, ventures into the sewer. Makes you miss the alligators!Next time—I misspoke in the episode!—Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 1.14-1.16 (not through 1.17), or pp. 94-139 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition. Support the show and get access to monthly bonus episodes at <a href="http://patreon.com/pynchonpals" rel="nofollow">patreon.com/pynchonpals</a> and follow us <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">@pynchonpals.bsky.social</a>. Show Notes:<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavarand" rel="nofollow">“Lavarand,”</a> the physical cryptographically secure pseudorandom number generator I couldn’t remember in the episode. It’s lavalamps! Related, <a href="https://hackaday.com/2019/12/09/generating-random-numbers-with-a-fish-tank/" rel="nofollow">“Generating Random Numbers With A Fish Tank,”</a> by Tom Nardi via Hackaday.<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140722202524/http://themodernword.com/pynchon/The_Kenosha_Kid_scans.pdf" rel="nofollow">Scans of “The Kenosha Kid,”</a> by Forbes Parkhill via Archive.org. <a href="https://redcircle.com/shows/3c47203e-2713-44db-8361-74f06df33038/ep/7d74089a-a674-460e-8694-b53d38c11f11" rel="nofollow">Our previous episode</a> on “Mondaugen’s Story” in V. <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/12/23/how-to-pay-for-genocide-the-cost-of-germanys-colonial-crimes-in-namibia" rel="nofollow">“How to pay for genocide: Namibian victims of German colonialism want a say,”	</a> by Shola Lawal via Al Jazeera. <a href="https://thoughtleader.co.za/namibias-blue-book-of-record-part-one/" rel="nofollow">“Namibia’s Blue Book of record: Part one,”</a> by Catherine Sofianos via Mail &amp; Guardian.<a href="https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/psychology/little-albert-study" rel="nofollow">“Little Albert study,”</a> entry by Ronna F. Dillon, PhD and Amber D. Dillon via Ebsco<a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ariadne-Greek-mythology" rel="nofollow">Ariadne</a> entry via the Encyclopedia Britannica Content warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, racism, misogyny, xenophobia, genocide, animal abuse, pedophilia. ---Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (<a href="http://www.patf.io" rel="nofollow">www.patf.io</a> and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patfio.bsky.social" rel="nofollow"> @patfio.bsky.social</a>).Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album<a href="https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/polygondwanaland" rel="nofollow"> Polygondwanaland</a>.

15: In which a real live rocket launches (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 1.8-1.13)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/3/25/4/d5206f21-ea9f-4128-9f41-c647ab161c1a_pynchon_pals_e14_mixdown_fixed.mp3

Well, we’ve arrived at The Big One. Or, The First Big One, anyways. Join us -- again or for the first time -- as we puzzle out plots, diagram arcane organizational structures, and go long on bananas. Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 1.8-1.13, or pp. 48-94 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition. Support the show and get access to monthly bonus episodes at <a href="http://patreon.com/pynchonpals" rel="nofollow">patreon.com/pynchonpals</a> and follow us <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">@pynchonpals.bsky.social</a>. Show Notes:<a href="https://drunkpynchon.com/2021/02/19/banana-breakfast/" rel="nofollow">“Banana Breakfast,”</a> by Tom Pynchon’s Liquor Cabinet <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/01/07/794302086/there-will-be-bananas" rel="nofollow">“There Will Be Bananas,”</a> by NPR’s Throughline podcast<a href="https://youtu.be/ztHAykJiYdg" rel="nofollow">“Vintage Original Chiquita Banana 1940&#39;s Commercial Ads Complete Series!,”</a> via YouTube<a href="https://www.epicurious.com/ingredients/history-of-the-gros-michel-banana" rel="nofollow">“Bananas Don’t Taste Like They Used To. Here’s Why,”</a> by Brandon Summers-Miller via Epicurious<a href="https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/online-exhibitions/history-of-the-battle-of-britain/air-raid-shelter-protection/" rel="nofollow">The Morrison shelter and other Battle of Britain era protections</a> via the Royal Air Force Museum<a href="https://people.math.harvard.edu/~ctm/links/culture/rainbow.bell.html" rel="nofollow">“Some Things that ‘Happen’ (More or Less) in Gravity’s Rainbow,”</a> by Michael Davitt Bell. The simplest and most useful quick reference for the goings on in Gravity’s Rainbow we’ve found so far. Spoiler warning, obviously, for things we and maybe you haven’t read yet—and, less obviously, for references to things that will be (but aren’t yet) important.Content warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, racism, misogyny. ---Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (<a href="http://www.patf.io" rel="nofollow">www.patf.io</a> and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patfio.bsky.social" rel="nofollow"> @patfio.bsky.social</a>).Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album<a href="https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/polygondwanaland" rel="nofollow"> Polygondwanaland</a>.

14: In which the Pynchon Pals, in their arrogance, thought they could talk through more of the book in three hours (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 1.1-1.7)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/3/11/1/b0083956-636e-47cc-9b87-22c654157bcf_pynchon_pals_e13_mixdown_fixed.mp3

Angels, dark and light, descend on Southern California, and we bid adieu to Arnold Snarb, I mean, Edna Mosh. Next time, Gravity’s Rainbow sections 1.1 through 1.9, or pp. 1-60 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition. Support the show and get access to monthly bonus episodes at <a href="http://patreon.com/pynchonpals" rel="nofollow">patreon.com/pynchonpals</a> and follow us <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">@pynchonpals.bsky.social</a>. Show Notes:<a href="https://www.fadedpage.com/books/20140930/html.php" rel="nofollow">“The Simple Art of Murder,”</a> by Raymond Chandler, online e-book via Faded Page. <a href="http://www.pynchon.pomona.edu/uncollected/farina.html" rel="nofollow">Thomas Pyncon’s introduction</a> to Richard Fariña’s Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me, via pynchon.pomona.edu. Content warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, misogyny, suicide, antisemitism, pedophilia. ---Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (<a href="http://www.patf.io" rel="nofollow">www.patf.io</a> and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patfio.bsky.social" rel="nofollow"> @patfio.bsky.social</a>).Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album<a href="https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/polygondwanaland" rel="nofollow"> Polygondwanaland</a>.

13: In which we wonder, what if this book was, like, six times as long? (The Crying of Lot 49 Ch. 6)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/2/25/2/e43b9dc9-5226-471b-ade1-3489325f9faa_pynchon_pals_e12_mixdown.mp3

The devil is in the details in this episode—or should we say, the demon? We follow Oedipa up north and into the entropic underground. Groovy… Next time, The Crying of Lot 49 Ch. 6. Support the show and get access to monthly bonus episodes at <a href="http://patreon.com/pynchonpals" rel="nofollow">patreon.com/pynchonpals</a> and follow us <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">@pynchonpals.bsky.social</a>. Show Notes:Spoilers for Twin Peaks Season 2 around 2:31:50 to 2:32:05!<a href="https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/books/030498pynchon-letters.html" rel="nofollow">Thomas Pynchon, in correspondence, on The Crying of Lot 49 as a “potboiler,”</a> via Mel Gussow in the New York Times archive<a href="https://www.compactmag.com/article/the-crisis-of-the-university-started-long-before-trump/" rel="nofollow">“The Crisis of the University Started Long Before Trump,”</a> by Clifford Ando via Compact, on the Bayh–Dole Act and its implications for patents on government funded research<a href="http://faculty.las.illinois.edu/rrushing/242/ewExternalFiles/Borges.pdf" rel="nofollow">“Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius,” by Jorge Luis Borges</a>, .pdf via University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign<a href="https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/260378" rel="nofollow">“Encuentro,” by Remedios Varo (1959)</a> via the National Galleries of Scotland <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsYA8Gr5NTY" rel="nofollow">The “Batusi” in Batman (1966)</a> via YouTube<a href="https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/document/06639865" rel="nofollow">Project OXYGAS</a> (Dolphin Training) via the CIA online reading room<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jun/08/the-dolphin-who-loved-me" rel="nofollow">“The dolphin who loved me: the Nasa-funded project that went wrong,”</a> by Christopher Riley via The Guardian (or, the one about LSD trials on dolphins)Content warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, misogyny, racism, suicide, genocide, antisemitism---Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (<a href="http://www.patf.io" rel="nofollow">www.patf.io</a> and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patfio.bsky.social" rel="nofollow"> @patfio.bsky.social</a>).Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album<a href="https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/polygondwanaland" rel="nofollow"> Polygondwanaland</a>.

12: “In which the Pynchon Pals retell Platonic dialogues and Porky Pig cartoons” (The Crying of Lot 49 Chs. 4-5)

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Move over Benny, Rachel, Stencil, and Paola, it’s time for a new book! Journeying into the swingin’ 60s, we talk on the phone, watch television, and even go to the theatre. Hey, wait a second, I know that kazoo tune…Next time, The Crying of Lot 49 Chs. 4-5. Support the show and get access to monthly bonus episodes at <a href="http://patreon.com/pynchonpals" rel="nofollow">patreon.com/pynchonpals</a> and follow us <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">@pynchonpals.bsky.social</a>. Show Notes:<a href="https://www.arthistoryproject.com/artists/remedios-varo/embroidering-the-earths-mantle/" rel="nofollow">“Embroidering the Earth&#39;s Mantle,” by Remedios Varo (1961)</a> via Obelisk<a href="https://thomaspynchon.com/pynchon-cover-art/the-crying-of-lot-49/" rel="nofollow">Covers for The Crying of Lot 49</a> via thomaspynchon.com <a href="https://youtu.be/zS1cLOIxsQ8" rel="nofollow">The Carlton</a> from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air via YouTube<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Droodles" rel="nofollow">Droodles by Roger Price (1953)</a> via WikipediaContent warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, misogyny, racism.---Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (<a href="http://www.patf.io" rel="nofollow">www.patf.io</a> and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patfio.bsky.social" rel="nofollow"> @patfio.bsky.social</a>).Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album<a href="https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/polygondwanaland" rel="nofollow"> Polygondwanaland</a>.

11. In which the Pynchon Pals, unseen, do a little dance (The Crying of Lot 49 Chs. 1-3)

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We hope you enjoy listening to this Q+A episode as much as we enjoyed making it! If so, you can now sign up to support the show via the brand new <a href="http://patreon.com/pynchonpals" rel="nofollow">patreon.com/pynchonpals</a> to get access to future Patreon-exclusive bonus episodes featuring Q+A’s, movie discussion, and more.   Next time, The Crying of Lot 49 Chs. 1-3. (Wow, a whole new book!)Show Notes:Content warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, misogyny, racism.---Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (<a href="http://www.patf.io" rel="nofollow">www.patf.io</a> and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patfio.bsky.social" rel="nofollow"> @patfio.bsky.social</a>).Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album<a href="https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/polygondwanaland" rel="nofollow"> Polygondwanaland</a>. Follow us <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">@pynchonpals.bsky.social</a>.

10: In which a ludicrously high budget is needed to produce the V. adaptation of our dreams (V. Q+A)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/1/14/3/5a8d69f0-cb84-4131-a46d-4bc1e3cd7726_pynchon_pals_e9_mixdown.mp3

Sydney Stencil’s in Valletta for one last job, and so are we. Sail on, sailor!Next time, V. Q+A. Last chance to send in questions on Bluesky or by email: if you’ve got one, we want to read it!Show Notes:<a href="http://stagathamalta.com/agatha.html" rel="nofollow">St. Agatha’s Crypt, Catacombs &amp; Museum</a>, website<a href="https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/literature-and-writing/v-analysis-major-characters#full-article" rel="nofollow">“V.: Analysis of Major Characters,”</a> by Victoria Price via EBSCO <a href="https://slate.com/human-interest/2013/09/the-manicule-a-hand-with-a-pointing-index-finger-becomes-a-common-marginalia-during-the-renaissance.html" rel="nofollow">“The Mysterious Manicule,”</a> by Keith Houston via Slate Content warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, misogyny, racism, body dysmorphia, suicide---Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (<a href="http://www.patf.io" rel="nofollow">www.patf.io</a> and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patfio.bsky.social" rel="nofollow"> @patfio.bsky.social</a>).Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album<a href="https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/polygondwanaland" rel="nofollow"> Polygondwanaland</a>. Follow us <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">@pynchonpals.bsky.social</a>.

09: In which the verdict on V. is, at long last, delivered (V. Epilogue and Wrapup)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/12/31/6/8e906228-a774-4cb7-92f6-3c59de52c91d_pynchon_pals_e8_mixdown.mp3

Things lurk Behind the Curtain as we bid farewell to Benny and the gang. And time is running out to send in questions for our V. Q+A in the episode after next!Next time, V. Epilogue.Show Notes:<a href="https://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/search.php?nq=1&query=cylinder4410&query_type=call_number" rel="nofollow">Frank C. Stanley performs “Auld Lang Syne,”</a> recorded 1910 on (now public domain) wax cylinder, released by the Indestructible Record Company, UC Santa Barbara Cylinder Audio Archive<a href="https://famouskin.com/famous-kin-chart.php?kin=41896+thomas+pynchon&name=27010+taylor+swift&via=16268+edward+bangs" rel="nofollow">Family Relationship of Taylor Swift, Singer and Songwriter, 9th cousin 2 times removed to Thomas Pynchon, American Novelist</a>, FamousKin.com <a href="https://www.thisamericanlife.org/654/the-feather-heist" rel="nofollow">“The Feather Heist,”</a> This American Life, WBEZ ChicagoContent warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, incest, misogyny, racism, antisemitism, xenophobia, suicide.---Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long.Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (<a href="http://www.patf.io" rel="nofollow">www.patf.io</a> and<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/patfio.bsky.social" rel="nofollow"> @patfio.bsky.social</a>).Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album<a href="https://kinggizzard.bandcamp.com/album/polygondwanaland" rel="nofollow"> Polygondwanaland</a>. Follow us <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">@pynchonpals.bsky.social</a>.

08: In which Thomas Pynchon, like his cousin Taylor Swift, reflects on love (V. Chs. 14-16)

A podcast about finally reading Thomas Pynchon.

Pynchon Pals is a podcast about finally reading Thomas Pynchon.

Join co-hosts and good friends Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long as they talk through, break down, and identify exciting new recipes from the works of one of American literature's foremost figures.

Just saw One Battle After Another ? Picked up Shadow Ticket ? Had Gravity's Rainbow on your shelf for a decade? Or just a longtime fan looking to revisit your favorites? Everyone's welcome to be a Pynchon Pal!

Support us at patreon.com/pynchonpals ( http://patreon.com/pynchonpals ) for additional bonus episodes, and follow us @pynchonpals.bsky.social ( https://bsky.app/profile/pynchonpals.bsky.social ).