Thomas Pynchon’s Mason & Dixon is quickly becoming one of the writer’s most-studied books, and now a reliable companion guide is available. Written in an engaging style, A Mason & Dixon Companion aims to offer plenty of insight to both first-time Pynchon readers and scholars steeped in the writer’s work. For American Studies teachers and researchers, Mason & Dixon is a novel that addresses foundational American themes, including notions of the west, the role of colonialism, imperialism, and slavery in the nation’s founding and in the Revolutionary War, and does so in a character-centered, emotionally engaging way. The core of the novel addresses a fundamental question of modern society: how do individuals cope with the (often unjust) systems of power that seek to dominate and control their lives? Despite being written in 18th-century style, the novel is a prescient, engaging read, and the companion hopes to make it easier to teach and to provide fodder for additional scholarly work.

The book’s page is here.

UK scholars can request an exam copy here.