Thomas Pynchon Speaks?

Penguin Press released a book trailer for Thomas Pynchon‘s “Inherent Vice” today, a Los Angeles joyride narrated by a gruff private detective character. Fans around the Internet have one question about this mysterious reader: Did Pynchon narrate the video?

GalleyCat asked Penguin Press about the narrator, receiving a sly “no comment” in response. We dug a little deeper, uncovering a repeatedly-looped YouTube copy of the author’s cameo on The Simpsons. Click away and decide for yourself…

The novel has been burning up the Internets today–ranked #1 in the “Mystery” category on the Amazon bestseller charts. Wired magazine built an excellent map of Pynchon’s Los Angeles and GalleyCat unveiled a video essay about the novel, full of vintage video from 1970s California.

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