[jhbadger]

I think that would be a bad choice for a first Pynchon, much like reading Ulysses or Finnegan's Wake would be for James Joyce. People who start with these challenging books generally give them up 50 pages in -- starting with more accessible books like Lot 49 for Pynchon and Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man for Joyce makes their denser books more accessible.

[slothtrop]

If they're readers, they've read more accessible books. I don't think the lesser known works for those authors in any way prepare you for the more challenging ones. You either go for it as an experienced reader, or you don't. You won't really understand the appeal of Pynchon or Joyce without diving into them.

I would concede if there were a particularly outstanding accessible book, it would be a good starting point - I don't think there is.