
Mapping the Zone: A Thomas Pynchon discussion podcast
Each episode, we take a deep-dive into the book we are focusing on—we explore the references, characters, plot, and everything in between from a non-scholarly point of view. We are just four fans who love these books and can talk about them endlessly.
Latest episodes

Aug 23, 2024 • 1h 50min
Bleeding Edge: Wrap-up with @Byron's Glowing Filament
We've finished another Pynchon book and convene once more to talk about Bleeding Edge; this time in its entirety. We're joined by Andrew, better known as Byron's Glowing Filament on Twitter and the creator of the Gravity's Rainbow Analysis substack (link below).We’re taking a (well-earned) break and will be back some time in November to start Against the Day.In the meantime, we’re going to be releasing some bonus episodes until our return, so stay tuned for those.Andrew's Gravity’s Rainbow Analysis Substack: https://gravitysrainbow.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=substack_profileIf you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezoneAs always, thanks so much for listening!Email: mappingthezonepod@gmail.comBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com

Aug 16, 2024 • 2h 51min
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 40-41
We apologize in advance for some audio issues which presented themselves after we had finished recording. We've done our best to clean them up and make everything sound as good as possible.Information on the guest for our Bleeding Edge wrap-up episode, as well as our next book and schedule changes for the show going forward are at the end of the discussion.https://vimeo.com/73716114 (Bleeding Edge trailer)If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezoneAs always, thanks so much for listening!Email: mappingthezonepod@gmail.comBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com

Aug 9, 2024 • 2h 49min
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 37-39
If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezoneAs always, thanks so much for listening!Email: mappingthezonepod@gmail.comBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com

Aug 2, 2024 • 2h 43min
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 34-36
The article mentioned by Luke: “Hallowe’en? Over Already?” https://x.com/Ethelmer77/status/963687634483793920?lang=enIf you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters:Books/Authors: The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright, The Trial by Franz KafkaIf you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezoneAs always, thanks so much for listening!Email: mappingthezonepod@gmail.comBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com

Jul 26, 2024 • 2h 30min
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 31-33
If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters:Music: Mitch Hedberg - Mitch All Together, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart - Bob Newhart, Riot Grrrl musicBooks/Authors: The Shock Doctrine (2007) and No Logo (1999) by Naomi Klein, https://www.jsasoc.com/docs/Sep1101.pdf (Global Consciousness Project analysis), When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamín LabatutIf you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezoneAs always, thanks so much for listening!Email: mappingthezonepod@gmail.comBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com

Jul 19, 2024 • 11min
Bonus Episode: Fear and Loathing in America by Hunter S. Thompson
We are off this week, so Kate has recorded a reading of Fear and Loathing in America by Hunter S. Thompson, taken from his "Hey Rube" column for ESPN Page 2.As always, thanks so much for listening!Email: mappingthezonepod@gmail.comBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com

Jul 12, 2024 • 10min
Bonus Episode: A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace by John Perry Barlow
We're off this week, so Kate has provided a reading of John Perry Barlow's 1996 article, A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace.As always, thanks so much for listening!Email: mappingthezonepod@gmail.comBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com

Jul 5, 2024 • 3h 5min
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 28-30
If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters:Films/TV: The Thin Man; In the Toilet (fan made song)Books/Authors: Thomas Pynchon’s Silicon Alley by Mike Godwin, The Thin Man by Dashiell HammettIf you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezoneAs always, thanks so much for listening!Email: mappingthezonepod@gmail.comBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com

Jun 28, 2024 • 2h 39min
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 25-27
If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters:Films/TV: Archive 81(Netflix)Music: Big L, Notorious B.I.G., Jay-ZBooks/Authors: Hunter S. ThompsonIf you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezoneAs always, thanks so much for listening!Email: mappingthezonepod@gmail.comBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com

Jun 14, 2024 • 2h 36min
Bleeding Edge: Chapters 22-24
If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters:Films/TV: Primer (2004; dir. Shane Carruth); Motherless Brooklyn (dir. Edward Norton, Jr.)Music: Tiny Desk Unit - Live At the 9:30 Club 1980; Bad Brains - Bad BrainsBooks: The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing To Our Brains by Nicholas Carr, Neuromancer by William Gibson, Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson; Motherless Brooklyn by Johnathan Lethem; The Power Broker by Robert Caro; Amerikastudien: “Bright Days for the Black Market”: Color-Coded Crises in Contemporary U.S. Fiction and the Works of Thomas PynchonIf you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezoneAs always, thanks so much for listening!Email: mappingthezonepod@gmail.comBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mappingthezone.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/pynchonpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mappingthezonepodcast/Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit) bradspersecond.com