Mason & Dixon: Chapters 31-35

Mason & Dixon: Chapters 31-35

Author: Thomas Pynchon books discussed here! July 7, 2023 Duration: 2:43:31

We had quite a lot to discuss in these chapters, so prepare for a longer than usual episode. The brutality and senselessness of the Paxton boys (and American colonialism in general), talking watches that shapeshift into vegetables, westward expansion and the impact of capitalistic real estate, and so much more.

We invite you to share your thoughts with us about the book, these chapters, or anything else we discussed so we can bring it up in a future episode. We can be reached at any of the social media links below.

Regarding the discussion about the unique horror of the American colonists violence toward indigenous peoples as mentioned in this episode, we failed to mention another instance of this type of history which should have been brought up. The Herero and Namaqua genocide was an awful event in history which, like the atrocities brought up in Mason & Dixon and our discussion, should not be forgotten or dismissed.

Order Brett Biebel's Mason & Dixon Companion: https://ugapress.org/book/9780820365831/a-mason-and-dixon-companion/

Here is the link mentioned by Brett. Please be advised, it is paywalled, but the episode can be found on any of the major podcast platforms: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/19/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-woody-holton.html

If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.

https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezone

As always, thanks so much for listening!

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Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com


Dense, sprawling, and endlessly rewarding, the novels of Thomas Pynchon invite the kind of conversation that can last for hours. That’s precisely what you’ll find on Mapping the Zone: A Thomas Pynchon discussion podcast. Instead of dry literary analysis, this series offers the lively, sometimes meandering, talk of four dedicated fans unpacking these complex texts together. They approach each book as an adventure, tracing its winding plots, deciphering its historical and pop culture references, and debating the fate of its many peculiar characters. The tone is accessible and enthusiastic, driven by a genuine love for the material rather than an academic agenda. You’re essentially listening in on a great, ongoing book club discussion where the jokes are as welcome as the insights. Whether you’re a seasoned Pynchon veteran looking to compare notes or a curious newcomer daunted by the sheer scale of the work, this podcast provides a companionable guide through the zones of paranoia, coincidence, and profound humanity that define the author’s world. It’s a space where the pleasure of the text is taken seriously, one deep-dive episode at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Mapping the Zone: A Thomas Pynchon discussion podcast
Podcast Episodes
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 25-27 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:38:49
If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters:Films/TV: Archive 81(Netflix)Music: Big L, Notorious B.I.G., Jay-ZBooks/Authors: Hunter S. ThompsonIf you like what we're…
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 22-24 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:35:39
If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters:Films/TV: Primer (2004; dir. Shane Carruth); Motherless Brooklyn (dir. Edward Norton, Jr.)Music: Tiny Desk Unit - Live At…
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 19-21 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:06:19
If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media we talked about:Films/TV: Spaced (1999-2001)Music: Selected Ambient Works Volume II by Aphex Twin; Goblin (various film scores)Books: The Only Plane in…
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 16-18 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:59:26
If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media we talked about:Films/TV: Lost Highway (1997; dir. David Lynch)Music: Elvis Hitler - Green Haze: https://youtube.com/watch?v=4FFgxJsjqkgBooks: The Loomi…
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 13-15 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:58:03
If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com…
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 10-12 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:43:58
If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media we talked about:Films/TV: Aretha Franklin “Nessun Dorma” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k33sINjn9o0Books: Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas…
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 7-9 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:05:48
If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media we talked about:Films/TV: Office Space (1999; dir. Mike Judge)Books: The Declaration of Cyberspace by John Perry Barlow; Free Culture by Lawrence Lessig…
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 4-6 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:33:22
If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media we talked about:Books: Meet Me In the Bathroom by Lizzy Goodman; 9/11 as Mass Ritual by S.K. Bainshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montauk_Monsterhttps://e…
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 1-3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:38:09
If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media we talked about:Films/TV: We Live In Public (2009; dir. Ondi Timoner)Music: Satan Is Real by The Louvin BrothersBooks: Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson,…
Bonus Episode - David Bowie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:04
Kate and Cody took advantage of the break to spend some time talking about one of their favorite artists, David Bowie. A wildly talented artist, Bowie's influence is wider reaching than many might have known. Whether you…