Thomas Pynchon announces new novel Shadow Ticket, his first in 12 years
Penguin Random House has announced that they are to publish Thomas Pynchon 's first new novel in 12 years this October.
Shadow Ticket will be the reclusive, 87-year-old author's tenth book, and like the previous two, it tells a noir detective story.
According to an official description provided by the publishers, the novel is set in Milwaukee in 1932 during the Great Depression, with the 'repeal of Prohibition just around the corner, Al Capone in the federal pen' and 'the private investigation business shifting from labor-management relations to the more domestic kind.'
The synopsis continues: 'Hicks McTaggart, a one-time strikebreaker turned private eye, thinks he's found job security until he gets sent out on what should be a routine case, locating and bringing back the heiress of a Wisconsin cheese fortune who's taken a mind to go wandering. Before he knows it, he's been shanghaied onto a transoceanic liner, ending up eventually in Hungary where there's no shoreline, a language from some other planet, and enough pastry to see any cop well into retirement—and of course no sign of the runaway heiress he's supposed to be chasing.
'By the time Hicks catches up with her he will find himself also entangled with Nazis, Soviet agents, British counterspies, swing musicians, practitioners of the paranormal, outlaw motorcyclists, and the troubles that come with each of them, none of which Hicks is qualified, forget about being paid, to deal with.
'Surrounded by history he has no grasp on and can't see his way around in or out of, the only bright side for Hicks is it's the dawn of the Big Band Era and as it happens he's a pretty good dancer. Whether this will be enough to allow him somehow to lindy-hop his way back again to Milwaukee and the normal world, which may no longer exist, is another question.'
Pynchon was born in 1937 and is considered one of the greatest living novelists. He published his first book, the postmodern satire V., in 1963. His reputation rose with his subsequent acclaimed novels The Crying of Lot 49 (1966) and Gravity's Rainbow (1973). Despite his fame, he has carefully avoided public appearances, and only a handful of photographs of him are known to exist.
Inherent Vice was adapted for the screen in 2014 by Paul Thomas Anderson, an avowed fan of the novelist's work. Anderson's forthcoming film One Battle After Another is thought to be heavily influenced by Pynchon's 1990 novel Vineland.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time Out
2 days ago
- Time Out
Orville Peck drops the mask in Cabaret
As the orchestra plays the opening vamps of 'Wilkommen,' Orville Peck ascends to the stage from below, as though rising from some underworld to spread malice. In his regular life as a country-music singer-songwriter with fans around the world, Peck cultivates an air of mystery; he is never seen in public without some kind of elaborate mask. But as the creepy Emcee in Broadway 's Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, he bares his soul—and his full face—every night. Peck has always had a hankering for the stage. He grew up in South Africa, where he performed in musicals before pursuing acting professionally in Canada and the U.K., including a stint in the West End. That chapter came to an end when he adopted his current persona and released his 2019 debut album, Pony, which earned him a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. But his Broadway debut in Cabaret represents a return to a longtime dream. 'I'm trying to take every moment in and savor it,' he says. Peck is the third person to play the Emcee in the current revival of the classic 1966 musical, after Eddie Redmayne and Adam Lambert. It's a highly demanding role. The story takes place in 1930s Berlin, where the second-rate singer Sally Bowles (Eva Noblezada) chases fame at the seedy Kit Kat Club as the Nazis rise to power. The Emcee presides over the nightclub scenes and weaves through the rest of the show like a snake; his gradual transformation from naughty ringmaster to conformist taskmaster mirrors Germany's harrowing descent into fascism. But at curtain call, Peck is back to being himself—which for him means back in his mask. In honor of Pride, we chatted with the openly gay singer about his life in Cabaret so far. How did the role of the Emcee come to you? They asked if I would be interested. Like anyone else, I filmed a self-tape of me singing a couple songs from the show. I was on tour at the time, so I filmed my self-tape in the basement of Wrigley Field in Chicago. When I was in New York for my shows, a few months or two later, I went in and did a callback, essentially, for the creative team. And a few months after that, I got the offer. Getting to make my Broadway debut doing my dream role is kind of amazing. What drew you to take on the role of the Emcee in the first place? It was always a dream of mine to do Broadway, but it was more specifically a dream for me to do this role. I was 14 the first time I can remember thinking about it; I saw the film with Joel Grey and Liza [Minnelli]. I've always been drawn to musicals that have a thought-provoking script with a good, meaty story, so Cabaret really appealed to me with that. And then seeing Alan Cumming in the revival—seeing how differently it could be portrayed, but also the freedom it allows an actor. I'm having the time of my life. But it's a lot of hard work. Why? It's a very grueling schedule, eight shows a week, especially for a role like this where I'm on stage most of the time. And when I'm not on stage, I'm changing into something different. It's a pretty crazy marathon of a track. The way that I interpret the character and the energy that I give to it—it's a lot, physically, and of course the subject matter of the show is a lot emotionally. By the end of the show, all of us are pretty exhausted. What themes from the show really speak to you? The most obvious is how fragile freedom can be. It feels very reflective of the current political climate in 2025, where groups of people's rights are being challenged and taken away in front of us. This show is a period piece about a specific place at a specific time, but the themes resonate a lot today. You often sit on stage during the show, which is staged in the round, so you can see the spectators. What have you noticed about how the audience reacts? It's a vast array of reactions every night. Our shows, for better or worse, are known for involuntary outbursts from people. We get people sobbing in the show, but we also get people laughing uncomfortably in moments that they don't know how to respond to otherwise, like when a swastika is revealed. I don't think it's because they think the swastika is funny, or that nazism is something to laugh at—I think it takes people off-guard, and they have uncomfortable reactions that they can't control. But that is the point of this show. The show is meant to make people uncomfortable. It leaves people thinking. How do you walk the line between menacing and jovial every night? I don't know how to play sinister or menacing. I have to play it as somebody who has a belief system that is really different to mine, but they believe that it is just as important and moral. The Emcee makes menacing, sinister, hateful—and some might even say evil—decisions and choices. But I have to play those as if they're the most virtuous thing that I can do as a person. If you approach it with that mindset, it crafts a real, three-dimensional person. Does being part of the LGBTQ+ community shape your performance? Being part of a group that's often been marginalized—that has been on the receiving end of bigotry, homophobia or aggression—helps me understand how delicate this material is, and how I have to approach it with a lot of thought. I can't be vague about intentions and choices. I've spent a lot of time, especially in the rehearsal process, thinking about what makes somebody align themselves with something so hateful. There's a lot to unpack there with people who are marginalized. My Emcee is someone who is very repressed, and who has a lot of shame and anger at the world. Going to that place every night makes me feel lucky to be the opposite in my personal life. I feel very happy and proud of who I am, and grateful that I get to be myself and live authentically, and not have that kind of anger. How might this Pride be different in your eyes thanks to having this experience on Broadway? Pride always meant a lot to me, but now more than ever. We have an incredibly diverse cast in every single sense of the word. Everybody is just such a unique, beautiful person—and by the end of the show, we see all of that individuality stripped away. So this Pride, I definitely have a more conscious sense of celebrating everyone's individuality and everyone's unique spirit. It's such a beautiful part of being queer. You have the permission to be whoever you are, and that's due to the community that has been built over the last few decades. This is a community and we did have to work to build it. And that requires maintenance and encouragement of each other. On your Instagram feed, you posted a screenshot of a notification that Audra McDonald had followed you. Why was that important to you? Audra McDonald's a legend. My 14-year-old self would have fucking died if he knew that Audra McDonald even knew who I was. So it was a cute little nod to that. What are your plans going forward? Would you do more Broadway? Absolutely. It's not going to be a full-time priority; I'm very much a country music artist. But I've opened the door again into something that I really love doing. It's definitely not the last time. What's your next dream role? I went to see Hadestown. It was never on my radar, because it's a newer show, but Eva Noblezada is in Cabaret with us and she originated the role of Eurydice in role of Hades is sort of Orville Peck–coded. He's wearing some pretty cool cowboy boots and singing in a low register. So maybe in 10 or 15 years I could do a stint as Hades. In the first revival of Hadestown? Exactly.
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Inside the Ukrainian frontline strip club where brave dancers flout curfew to perform to punters enduring hell of war
'Our goal is to be a switch from what is happening,' says the club's owner DANCE THE PAIN AWAY Inside the Ukrainian frontline strip club where brave dancers flout curfew to perform to punters enduring hell of war AMID the missiles and misery of life on Ukraine's front line, there is one night-time spot which refuses to be beaten. In Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, the Flash Dancers strip club is still swinging - offering a temporary escape for the embattled locals. 9 The doors of Flash Dancers - a strip club in Kharkiv - remain open despite the raging war Credit: Getty 9 Club dancer Anny, 21, gets her costume and makeup ready ahead of a night of entertainment Credit: Getty 9 The women-owned business opens nightly - despite a strict 11pm curfew Credit: Getty Flash Dancers is a women-owned business which opens its doors every night - flouting the 11pm curfew. It offers exclusive, exotic entertainment to anyone who pays. Prostitution is illegal in Ukraine, so strip clubs find themselves in legal grey area. But the law was lightly applied before the war - and now the authorities seem to accept that momentary indulgence can be tolerated. Read more world news DIZZY HEIGHTS Inside world's craziest city where you never know which floor you're on Valeriya Zavadskaya, the club's co-owner, told Business Insider in 2023: "Our goal is to be a switch from what is happening." Her mother, a former professional Soviet dancer, opened the club a decade ago. The dancers arrive in the afternoon to practice their routines. By night time, they're dressed to the nines in ornate burlesque outfits to entertain their clients. The club is dimly lit in soft red glow as the doors swing open to welcome customers. There are never more than 20 in a night - and sometimes no one shows up. I went on holiday to UKRAINE - I fled £7-a-night hostel during air raid siren on first night…but it didn't spoil my trip More than a million residents have fled Kharkiv since war broke out, meaning fewer people are looking for entertainment. Drinks have also tripled in price since before fighting began. While the club is a haven for both staff and punters, the signs of war are inescapable. The windows on the three floors above the club are boarded up after an explosion in the city centre shattered every pane on the block. And Flash Dancers is underground, so it doubles up as an air-raid shelter. When the sirens sound, people scurry down to wait out rocket strikes in the red-leather booths surrounding the dance pole. But despite it all - the doors of Flash Dancers remain open. 9 Flash Dancers club owner Valeria Zavadksa trains a dancer before the club opens Credit: Getty 9 Zavadksa is a former professional Soviet dancer Credit: Getty 9 Pole dancer Nana performs at the club Credit: Getty Valeriya says: "It's something you can't say with words, but can tell with your body." Her founder mother Valeriia Kseniya now has a day job too as director of a small hotel. She told Business Insider: "For most of us in Ukraine today, it's difficult to earn a living in just one job." In 2014, she heard of a city-centre strip club closing down - and recognised her opportunity to bring her love of dance to the city she called home. With dreams of a modern-day Moulin Rouge, she hired a handful of women who could dance, and began crafting her vision. She says: "Everyone initially thought it was a club with happy endings. "Our position is that girls are not meat. Girls are about aesthetics, about femininity, about beauty." 9 Dancers Anny (left) and Nana share a drink as the club opens for business Credit: Getty 9 Ukrainian servicemen fire a Howitzer towards Russian troops on a front line in Ukraine's Kharkiv region Credit: Reuters
South Wales Argus
5 days ago
- South Wales Argus
Bonnie and Clyde brought to life by Newport theatre group
The musical, based on the lives of the infamous couple, tells the story of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow and their life of crime across southern Texas amid the Great Depression. The pair earn the fame and notoriety they so desperately crave through their deadly antics. The musical features a score written by Frank Wildhorn and lyrics by Don Black combining blues, gospel and rockabilly music with songs including 'Raise a Lttle Hell ', 'You Love Who You Love' and 'The World Will Remember Us. Founded by local musical stalwart Victoria Bryant and choreographer Emily John, Glass Ceiling Theatre has developed a well-earned reputation as one of Wales' leading musical theatre groups attracting talent from across South Wales from Neath to Abergavenny with some members even travelling from as far as Somerset for the weekly rehearsals. Andre-Paul Spring joins the production team for Bonnie and Clyde as co-director bringing his skills and experience gathered working with other theatre groups, including his own. Glass Ceiling Theatre, which was set up eight years ago, recently celebrated a sell-out run of the Disney classic Beauty and the Beast at Newport's Dolman Theatre. It has also staged shows including Footloose and Legally Blonde. Victoria Bryant, Glass Ceiling Theatre musical director, said: "Bonnie and Clyde is a demanding show in terms of the emotional performance needed throughout the musical, and our cast give their all to ensure this comes across." Nicole Cleaton and Jamie Davis take on the lead roles. Clyde's brother, Buck Barrow, is played by Evan Davies and his hard-suffering wife, Blanche, is played by Jessica Doolan. Bonnie and Clyde is on at Newport's Dolman Theatre from Thursday June 19 to Saturday June 21, 2025. Tickets are available at
