Early Life and Education of Thomas Pynchon: A Complete Timeline

Discover the defining moments in the early life of Thomas Pynchon. From birth to education, explore key events.

Thomas Pynchon is a celebrated American novelist known for his intricate and multifaceted works. His writing spans diverse subjects like history, music, science, and mathematics. He received the 1974 U.S. National Book Award for Fiction for Gravity's Rainbow. Pynchon is considered one of the most significant American novelists.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

1907: Birth of Thomas Ruggles Pynchon Sr.

In 1907, Thomas Ruggles Pynchon Sr., Thomas Pynchon's father, was born. He was an engineer and politician.

1909: Birth of Katherine Frances Bennett

In 1909, Katherine Frances Bennett, Thomas Pynchon's mother, was born. She worked as a nurse.

May 8, 1937: Thomas Pynchon's Birth

On May 8, 1937, Thomas Pynchon was born in Glen Cove, Long Island, New York, to Thomas Ruggles Pynchon Sr. and Katherine Frances Bennett.

Others born on this day/year

1939: Harmonica lost

In Gravity's Rainbow, it is reported that Tyrone Slothrop lost his harmonica down the toilet in 1939 at the Roseland Ballroom in Roxbury, Boston.

1945: Harp recovery

In Gravity's Rainbow, it is reported that Tyrone Slothrop magically recovered his harmonica, or "harp", in a German stream in 1945.

1953: High School Graduation and Enrollment at Cornell

In 1953, at the age of 16, Thomas Pynchon graduated from high school and began studying engineering physics at Cornell University.

1956: Service on USS Hank during the Suez Crisis

In 1956, Thomas Pynchon served aboard the destroyer USS Hank in the Mediterranean during the Suez Crisis.

1957: Return to Cornell to study English

In 1957, Thomas Pynchon returned to Cornell University to pursue a degree in English, marking a shift from his earlier studies in engineering physics.

1958: Co-creation of Minstrel Island

In 1958, Pynchon and Sale co-created part or all of a science-fiction musical titled Minstrel Island, which presents a dystopian future ruled by IBM.

June 1959: Graduation from Cornell University

In June 1959, Thomas Pynchon graduated from Cornell University with a B.A. with distinction and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

February 1960: Employment at Boeing

In February 1960, Thomas Pynchon began working as a technical writer at Boeing in Seattle.

September 1962: Departure from Boeing

In September 1962, Thomas Pynchon's employment as a technical writer at Boeing ended.

1963: Review in The New York Times

In 1963, a review of V. in The New York Times Book Review described Pynchon as "a recluse" living in Mexico, initiating the media label that has characterized him throughout his career.

April 1964: Letter to Candida Donadio

In April 1964, Pynchon wrote a letter to his agent, Candida Donadio, mentioning that he had four novels in progress and expressing high hopes for their literary impact.

1964: Rejection from UC Berkeley

In 1964, Pynchon applied to study mathematics as a graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, but was turned down.

1964: The Secret Integration

In 1964, Pynchon's ancestry and family background partially inspired his fiction writing, particularly in the Slothrop family histories related in the short story "The Secret Integration".

December 1965: Declined teaching literature at Bennington College

In December 1965, Pynchon declined an invitation from Stanley Edgar Hyman to teach literature at Bennington College, citing his commitment to writing three novels simultaneously, a decision he described as a "moment of temporary insanity".

1965: Writing The Crying of Lot 49

In 1965, Thomas Pynchon was in the middle of writing "The Crying of Lot 49," which he referred to as a "potboiler" and later as a "short story, but with gland trouble," hoping his agent could sell it.

June 1966: Published Report on Watts Riots

In June 1966, Pynchon published "A Journey Into the Mind of Watts" in The New York Times Magazine, a firsthand report on the aftermath and legacy of the Watts Riots in Los Angeles.

1968: Signed War Tax Protest

In 1968, Thomas Pynchon was among the 447 signatories to the "Writers and Editors War Tax Protest", publicly pledging not to pay the proposed 10% income tax surcharge or any war-designated tax increase due to his belief that American involvement in Vietnam was morally wrong.

1975: Declined the William Dean Howells Medal

In 1975, Thomas Pynchon declined the William Dean Howells Medal.

1984: Introduction to Slow Learner

Around 1984, Pynchon wrote an introduction for his short story collection Slow Learner. His comments provide the author's only autobiographical comments to his readers.

Slow Learner

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1988: Tom Hawkins' suicide

In 1988, Beat writer Tom Hawkins, who wrote the Wanda Tinasky letters, committed suicide after murdering his wife.

1989: Solidarity with Salman Rushdie

In 1989, Pynchon signed a letter of solidarity with Salman Rushdie after Rushdie was sentenced to death by the Ayatollah for his novel The Satanic Verses. Pynchon stated: "I pray that tolerance and respect for life prevail. I keep thinking of you."

The Satanic Verses: A Novel

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1990: Pynchon marries Melanie Jackson

In 1990, Thomas Pynchon married his literary agent, Melanie Jackson, who is a great-granddaughter of Theodore Roosevelt and a granddaughter of Robert H. Jackson.

1991: Reference in Janette Turner Hospital's Short Story

In 1991, Janette Turner Hospital published a short story, "For Mr. Voss or Occupant", referencing Pynchon. The protagonist explains to her daughter her motivation for writing.

1991: Birth of son, Jackson

In 1991, Thomas Pynchon and Melanie Jackson had a son named Jackson.

2006: Letter defending Ian McEwan

In 2006, Pynchon wrote a letter defending Ian McEwan against charges of plagiarism in his novel Atonement, in which Pynchon described the work of historical fiction writers.

Atonement

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2013: Jackson Pynchon graduates from Columbia University

In 2013, Thomas Pynchon's son, Jackson Pynchon, graduated from Columbia University, where he was affiliated with St. Anthony Hall.

2014: Inherent Vice film adaptation

In 2014, Paul Thomas Anderson adapted Pynchon's 2009 novel, Inherent Vice, into a feature film.

November 6, 2018: Photo published by National Enquirer

On November 6, 2018, Thomas Pynchon was photographed near his apartment in New York's Upper West Side district when he went to vote with his son. The photo was published by the National Enquirer and was said to be the first photo of him "in decades".