Difference between revisions of "Gravity's Rainbow"

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Connections to Pynchon's wide-spread yet remarkably hidden family history are scattered throughout this masterwork. Well known author and urban legend [http://www.newenglandancestors.org/education/articles/research/special_guests/gary_boyd_roberts/48_659_448.asp Thomas Ruggles Pynchon the Fifth] comes from a long line that begins with William Pynchon, founder of the town of Springfield, Massachusetts. [http://www.picturehistory.com/product/id/4832 Thomas Ruggles Pynchon the Third] is more than a footnote to [http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract;jsessionid=5FB21F083E60E4CE450B0320759422AF.tomcat1?fromPage=online&aid=8545 Nathaniel Hawthorne]. His [http://books.google.com/books?id=QmdOAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PA16&dq=Thomas+Ruggles+Pynchon+Trinity+college&as_brr=1#PPP1,M1 Introduction to Chemical Physics]
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Connections to Pynchon's wide-spread yet remarkably hidden family history are scattered throughout this masterwork. Well known author and urban legend [http://www.newenglandancestors.org/education/articles/research/special_guests/gary_boyd_roberts/48_659_448.asp Thomas Ruggles Pynchon the Fifth] comes from a long line that begins with William Pynchon, founder of the town of Springfield, Massachusetts. [http://www.picturehistory.com/product/id/4832 Thomas Ruggles Pynchon the Third] is more than a footnote to [http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract;jsessionid=5FB21F083E60E4CE450B0320759422AF.tomcat1?fromPage=online&aid=8545 Nathaniel Hawthorne]. The use of language in his ' [http://books.google.com/books?id=QmdOAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PA16&dq=Thomas+Ruggles+Pynchon+Trinity+college&as_brr=1#PPP1,M1 Introduction to Chemical Physics]' is reminiscent of his namesake:
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;"The name Chemistry, is said to be derived from the Arabic word Kimia, something hidden or concealed, and from this, to have been converted into Xyueia*, a word first used by the Greeks about the eleventh century, and meaning the art of making gold and silver. Between the fifth century and the taking of Constantinople in the fifteenth century, says Dr. Thomson, in his History of Chemistry, the Greeks believed in the possibility of making god and silver artificially; and the art which professed to teach the processes was called by them, Chemistry. This idea, however, has long since been thoroughly discarded, and is now no longer heard of."

Revision as of 10:35, 1 December 2007

Connections to Pynchon's wide-spread yet remarkably hidden family history are scattered throughout this masterwork. Well known author and urban legend Thomas Ruggles Pynchon the Fifth comes from a long line that begins with William Pynchon, founder of the town of Springfield, Massachusetts. Thomas Ruggles Pynchon the Third is more than a footnote to Nathaniel Hawthorne. The use of language in his ' Introduction to Chemical Physics' is reminiscent of his namesake:

"The name Chemistry, is said to be derived from the Arabic word Kimia, something hidden or concealed, and from this, to have been converted into Xyueia*, a word first used by the Greeks about the eleventh century, and meaning the art of making gold and silver. Between the fifth century and the taking of Constantinople in the fifteenth century, says Dr. Thomson, in his History of Chemistry, the Greeks believed in the possibility of making god and silver artificially; and the art which professed to teach the processes was called by them, Chemistry. This idea, however, has long since been thoroughly discarded, and is now no longer heard of."
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