20: In which Patrick uncovers the Pynchon-Star Wars connection (Gravity’s Rainbow Episodes 2.6-2.8)

Is Slothrop a ghost? Is gravity time travel? Is Joe Biden a fan of the show? What’s in The Zone? These questions and more will not be answered… yet. Next time, *Gravity’s Rainbow* Episodes 3.1 and 3.2, or pp. 285-319 in the U.S. Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition.  Support the show and get access to monthly bonus episodes at patreon.com/pynchonpals and follow us @pynchonpals.bsky.social.  For the month of June’s Patreon-exclusive bonus episode we’re watching Robert Zemeckis’ *Who Framed Roger Rabbit* (1988).  **Show Notes:** “Tantive IV” via *Wookiepedia* (https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Tantive\_IV)  Brian Daley’s website (https://brian-daley.com/BrianDaley-books.htm)  “Gusev” by Anton Chekhov, translated by Constance Garnett, via *Project Gutenberg* (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/57333/57333-h/57333-h.htm#Jlink2H\4\0009)  Joe Biden quotes Thomas Pynchon (https://youtu.be/u0zog-s3UBU)  Orson Welles’ “Cuckoo Clock” monologue from *The Third Man* (https://youtu.be/cydkTy6GmFA)   “Ya Got Trouble” from *The Music Man* (1962) (https://youtu.be/LI\_Oe-jtgdI)  “Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius,” by Jorge Luis Borges, .pdf via University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (http://faculty.las.illinois.edu/rrushing/242/ewExternalFiles/Borges.pdf)  Content warnings: strong language, physical and sexual violence, racism, misogyny, genocide. \--- Featuring Patrick Fiorilli, Andrew Tillett, and Duri Long. Produced and edited by Patrick Fiorilli (www.patf.io and @patfio.bsky.social). Our theme music is “Horology,” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives license on the album Polygondwanaland.