I've had a tough time with Pynchon. I liked him very much when I first read him. I liked him less with each book. He got denser and more complex in a way that didn't really pay off.
“Mainly what I learned from Buddy... was an attitude. He loved music, and he taught me that it shouldn't have any barriers to it.”
“For whatever reason, not all people are born with the particular gift of being able to express ourselves through music. And, believe me, it is a gift.”