Uncollected Pynchon: Letter to the Editor (Genghis Cohen)
- At January 13, 2021
- By Spermatikos Logos
- In Pynchon, The Modern Word
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Letter to the Editor: Genghis Cohen
The New York Times Book Review
17 July 1966, pp. 24, 26
TO THE EDITOR:
In a recent letter to the editor, Romain Gary asserts that I took the name “Genghis Cohen” from a novel of his to use in a novel of mine, The Crying of Lot 49. Mr. Gary is totally in error. I took the name Genghis Cohen from the name of Genghis Khan (1162-1227), the well-known Mongol warrior and statesman. If Mr. Gary really believes himself to be the only writer at present able to arrive at a play on words this trivial, that is another problem entirely, perhaps more psychiatric than literary, and I certainly hope he works it out. THOMAS PYNCHON New York City.
In a recent letter to the editor, Romain Gary asserts that I took the name “Genghis Cohen” from a novel of his to use in a novel of mine, The Crying of Lot 49. Mr. Gary is totally in error. I took the name Genghis Cohen from the name of Genghis Khan (1162-1227), the well-known Mongol warrior and statesman. If Mr. Gary really believes himself to be the only writer at present able to arrive at a play on words this trivial, that is another problem entirely, perhaps more psychiatric than literary, and I certainly hope he works it out. THOMAS PYNCHON New York City.
Author: Thomas Pynchon
Source: New York Times Book Review, 17 July 1966.
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Source: New York Times Book Review, 17 July 1966.
Return to: Uncollected Pynchon
Main Pynchon Page: Spermatikos Logos
Contact: quail(at)shipwrecklibrary(dot)com