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The Crying of Lot 49

by Thomas Pynchon Publisher: PERENNIAL

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A Southern California mystery of symbols and systems

$16.89 USD
$28.15 USD $16.89 USD
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Paperback New English

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Awards & Recognition

  • Editorial selection

    Named one of The Atlantic's Great American Novels

    Included among The Atlantic's Great American Novels.

AlbakiReads Editorial

A Southern California mystery of symbols and systems

After the death of her former lover, Oedipa Maas is named coexecutor of his estate and encounters clues that seem to point toward an international conspiracy. The search takes her across Southern California, where questions about metaphors, symbols, and the postal system become entangled with the administration of the estate. The novel brings satire to its portrait of modern America while making uncertainty itself part of Oedipa’s investigation.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • For readers interested in literary fiction built around mysteries and interpretive puzzles
  • For readers drawn to satire and stories set in Southern California
  • For readers interested in themes of conspiracy, symbols, and communication systems

Themes

Conspiracy and uncertaintySymbols and interpretationModern American societyCommunication systems

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

One of The Atlantic's Great American Novels

"A puzzle, an intrigue, a literary and historical tour de force." -- San Francisco Examiner

The Crying of Lot 49 is Thomas Pynchon's highly original classic satire of modern America, about Oedipa Maas, a woman who finds herself enmeshed in what would appear to be an international conspiracy.

When her ex-lover, wealthy real-estate tycoon Pierce Inverarity, dies and designates her the coexecutor of his estate, California housewife Oedipa Maas is thrust into a paranoid mystery of metaphors, symbols, and the United States Postal Service. Traveling across Southern California, she meets some extremely interesting characters, and attains a not inconsiderable amount of self-knowledge.

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Customer reviews

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Malaika Taylor

I highly recommend to for anyone looking for inner clarity

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Thomas DiMassa

Great service and fast service

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Ella

Great shopping experience! The book arrived quickly, was well packaged, and matched the description perfectly. I would definitely shop with you again

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Olivia

Smooth.