Thomas Pynchon's noir-infused comic mystery follows Larry "Doc" Sportello, a private investigator navigating the hazy, paranoid landscape of 1970s Los Angeles. When an ex-girlfriend shows up with a cryptic warning about a plot involving her current lover, Doc is drawn into a labyrinthine conspiracy that involves real estate developers, drug cartels, and mysterious organizations. A hilarious and profound exploration of counterculture, conspiracy, and the dying dream of 1960s idealism.

WHY WE PICKED IT: Because Pynchon transforms the detective novel into a kaleidoscopic meditation on American culture. Inherent Vice is simultaneously a pitch-perfect genre pastiche and a deeply philosophical examination of social transformation, capturing a moment when the optimistic energy of the 1960s begins to curdle into paranoia and disillusionment.

DETAILS: • Author: Thomas Pynchon • Publisher: Penguin Books • Format: Paperback • Publication Date: July 27, 2010 • ISBN: 9780143117568

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