Penguin Balks at 'Gravity's Rainbow' Artbook from Tin House

by Calvin Reid -- Publishers Weekly, 12/11/2006

Portland, Ore., independent publisher Tin House has agreed to change the name of its Gravity's Rainbow Illustrated, a 784-page artbook of drawings by Zak Smith, based on each page of Thomas Pynchon's novel, after Penguin objected to the book's title.

Lee Montgomery, Tin House editorial director, said that Penguin, the publisher of Pynchon's novel, was surprised when it learned of the book ("Gravity's Rainbow in Pictures," PW, Nov. 27) and concerned that the title implied an endorsement by Penguin or Pynchon. Tin House has agreed to revert to the title of the original work of art by Smith, which was displayed at the 2004 Whitney Biennial.

The new and unwieldy title is Pictures Showing What Happened on Each Page of Thomas Pynchon's Novel Gravity's Rainbow. Copies of the book are being held in a PGW warehouse in Indiana until Tin House can print stickers to cover the old title.

Montgomery said that Penguin had requested the change. "We want to resolve this quickly," she said. Stickering may delay the book's delivery to bookstores for the holidays, but Montgomery said Tin House will begin selling stickered copies of the book this week through its Web site.