Slow Learner is a compilation of early stories by Thomas Pynchon written between 1959 and 1964, before he achieved recognition as a prominent writer for his 1963 novel, V. The collection consists of five short stories: "The Small Rain," "Lowlands," "Entropy," "Under the Rose," and "The Secret Integration," as well as an Introduction written by Pynchon himself for the 1984 publication.

The five stories were originally published individually in various literary magazines. Over the next twenty years, Pynchon's reputation grew, and the stories began to reemerge in the literary world. So, in 1984, Slow Learner was published to collect and copyright the stories into one volume.

The Introduction, a rarely seen insight into Pynchon's mind, gives him the opportunity to reflect upon his early writings, contextualizing them with self criticism and didactic example for young writers of today. Thus, the book becomes not only entertaining, but educational, giving readers the chance to witness the maturation of one of this century's most important writers.

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