ABSTRACT
When Inherent Vice was published in 2009, it came accompanied by two curious things, at least for a Thomas Pynchon novel. The first was a book trailer voiced by the author in a lovely beatnik drawl, marking just the third time his voice had been broadcast in the media (the other two occasions occurring on The Simpsons). You can still watch the trailer on YouTube.1 The second accompaniment was a playlist of songs, “designed exclusively for Amazon.com, courtesy of Thomas Pynchon,” with the tracks available for purchase on the store’s website:
Larry “Doc” Sportello is a private eye who sees the world through a sticky dope haze, animated by the music of an era whose hallmarks were peace, love, and revolution. As Doc’s strange case grows stranger, his 60s soundtrack-ranging from surf pop and psychedelic rock to eerie instrumentals-picks up pace. Have a listen to some of the songs you’ll hear in Inherent Vice-the playlist that follows is designed exclusively for Amazon.com, courtesy of Thomas Pynchon. (Links will take you to individual MP3 downloads, full albums, or artist pages).2
