John Updike: American Author Challenge

"Suspect each moment, for it is a thief, tiptoeing away with more than it brings."

John Hoyer Updike (March 18, 1932 – January 27, 2009) was born in Reading, Pennsylvania. An American novelist, poet, short story writer, art critic, and literary critic. His works are known for their subtle depiction of American middle-class life. His popular Rabbit series earned him two Pulitzer prizes. He published more than twenty novels and more than a dozen short story collections, as well as poetry. His work has attracted a significant amount of critical attention and praise, and he is widely considered to be one of the great American writers of his time.

**This is part of our American Author Challenge 2014. This author will be read in November. The general discussion thread can be found right here:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/162960

"I want to write books that unlock the traffic jam is everybody's head."

I've read four Updike works, including Rabbit is Rich and The Witches of Eastwick, but all of these were back in the 80s. I've wanted to read the complete Rabbit series for years now, so I'll be reading Rabbit Run.

Updike does not seem to receive much LT LOVE, so I am curious to see the responses, everyone will have, including my own, of course. Is he a Great American Author? I guess, we will see...

What is your J.U. history? Please keep the profanity down to a dull roar.

I'm going to read The Witches of Eastwick. I enjoyed the movie. So here's hoping...

This will be interesting as everybody seems to hate the poor departed fellow. I read his Bech series years ago and hated them but quite enjoyed Memories of the Ford Administration of which of course my most vivid memory is listening via radio in 1975 November when a certain peanut farmer kicked his pleasant ass (Ford's that is).

By the way in >1 msf59: above I hope you mean "this Author will be read in NOVEMBER" otherwise I had better get my skates on!

>4 Morphidae: I read The Witches of Eastwick before the film came out, so it has been many moons. I hope it works for you, Morph.

>5 PaulCranswick: I corrected the error, Paul. Thanks. The hazards of copy & paste. This should be an interesting choice. LOL. Which one are you tackling?

I've only read a couple of Updike's short stories (didn't care for 'em) and tried to read Bech is Back (couldn't manage it). I have a collection of his non-fiction, essays and what-not, that I will sample for this month's AAC. Although it isn't a "real" review, I cherish this reaction of one LT'er to her attempt to read Rabbit, Run: "I did not finish this book. I left it out in the rain, possibly on purpose." I will be watching with interest this group's reactions to his fiction -- I am open to the possibility that someone may persuade me to try some more of it, but at the moment I am not so inclined.

Oh, I started this year with great hopes that of course, feel through. I planned on participating in this challenge but alas, didn't pick up nary a book until I finished the May challenge yesterday Delta Wedding. So, I'm going to start now. My only Updike is the last of the 4 Rabbit books Rabbit at Rest but they seem somewhat stand-alone-ish. I've read some of the reviews of this series here and on Amazon. One of them said "Don't make me read another one of these". Oh, well.

Well, I have Rabbit Run on tap. It's very rainy here in Portland, so if I don't like it I will know what to do!

I've never read any Updike, but I am slowly working through the 1001 and Rabbit is there. So Rabbit, here I come.

>9 banjo123: LOL!

>9 banjo123: That was pretty funny, Rhonda! I hope no one is disgusted enough to do that. Fingers crossed.

I am glad to see I will have some company with Rabbit Run. I plan on starting it, earlier in the month, this time.

I'll be reading The Witches of Eastwick.

I read Rabbit, Run earlier this year, its in a combo book with Rabbit Redux. I want to eventually get to Rabbit is Rich and Rabbit at Rest which both won the Pulitzer and thus automatically on my Wishlist. Maybe I'll give Redux, a go. I've got a couple others lined up, but we'll see.

I hope you can join us Jeff! I have both 2-volume collections. Did you like Rabbit Run? If so, it might help the apprehensive.

I have a feeling Updike may not be my cuppa, but I'm going to give Witches of Eastwick a try.

I enjoyed The Witches of Eastwick movie, so I tried reading the book several years back. I really didn't enjoy it AT all. I finished it, but that was before LT and before I'd heard of the lovely Pearl Rule. :)

I'm not sure what I'm going to do about this month, as I swore I'd never pick up another Updike after that.

I've read {John Updike}'s, In the Beauty of the Lilies and his Rabbit at Rest. I was able to order Rabbit Run and Rabbit Redux in one volume through my library so I'll read the first one and maybe the next.

I've read some short stories but don't recall what title. Really an impressive American author.

>6 msf59: I will be reading Rabbit, Run, Mark as it fits my 150 year challenge too.

>7 laytonwoman3rd: Hahaha Linda well it does rain a fair bit here so I'll bear that in mind if I am struggling with it.

I know Updike is not the most lovable of American authors, so I am glad to see many of you, giving him a try. I remember really liking his writing but, honestly I haven't read him, in close to 25 years. We will see...

>18 mhmr: I would really like to try his short fiction. I remember some readers thinking that was where his strengths were.

Is anyone tyring his short fiction?

>17 TinaV95: Jeez, I'm not an Updike fan, but I was hoping at least The Witches of Eastwick would be a diverting read. Oh well. I'll take my medicine for the AAC, I guess.

>15 msf59: I went back and looked and I read Rabbit, Run summer of last year. Finished it right after I finished Gone Girl and I said the same basic thing about both. Had a main character that I thoroughly disliked but I loved the book.

With the Updike, I think I said it had chewy prose (where I got that, I have no idea), and that even though I didn't like Rabbit, I was invested in the story and I wanted to keep reading to see where it would go.

Not sure if I'll get to the Updike this month, but I definitely keep lurking around the thread and pop in if I can come up with something useful to say ;-)

Here is the link to an interview with Up's biographer that I found fascinating. About 49 minutes. Apparently there are more radio files on him there at Open Source. Anyway for me it was well worth the listening time.

http://radioopensource.org/the-john-updike-radio-files/

I haven't yet read any Updike, but he's coming up on some of my lists. I'll be lurking here to see what you all have to say about him...

I've never read any Updike. Like so many others, his reputation hasn't made me anxious to get to him. But it seems that Rabbit, Run is the one to start with. It's the first Rabbit book, right?

Finally going to make some progress with the Rabbit series, got Rabbit Redux on audio yesterday. 15+ hrs, that will take me through the month.

I believe I also got a book of poetry on my shelf. Forgot the title, but it was a tennis expression.

>25 EBT1002: Yes, Rabbit, Run is the first one.

I'm listening/reading The Witches of Eastwick. Unfortunately not using Whispersync but rather borrowed the CDs from the library to use on my commute and borrowed the Kindle version from Overdrive. I'll manage. ;-)

I just can't get into The Witches of Eastwick right now. I'm shelving it to try again at a later date. I don't dislike it enough to Pearl Rule but I just am not feeling it right now. I'm going to try The Maple Stories instead. The audio is available on Overdrive and it will get me through my work commute. It's about half the time of Witches too. Let's hope this one works better.

Jeez, I hope The Witches of Eastwick is decent. This isn't sounding good.

>29 jnwelch: Joe for me it has to do with my mourning my mom right now and some books not resonating with me in the moment. The Maple Stories are short stories and I've had some good success with short stories this year. Don't let me put you off on the Witches.

>28 luvamystery65: - Ro, I downloaded The Maples Stories on audio, too, in case I can't get to an Updike in print. I am planning to read Terrorist.

>30 luvamystery65: Ah, thanks, Roberta. Understood. I'm so sorry about your mom.

So far no one's said The Witches is a good read. I've got it and I'll read it, but I was hoping it would be a fun one. As I mentioned, I'm not an Updike fan. Besides his stuff in the New Yorker, I read the first two Rabbit books, and he's just not my kind of author.

>32 jnwelch: Thanks Joe.

I don't think Witches is going to be a fun one Joe.

>33 luvamystery65: I forget how to make a disappointed emoticon, but pretend I'm making one, Roberta. Darn.

Oh, great! I'm still waiting for my copy - it's in transit. I am waiting to be disappointed?!

>35 Crazymamie: Not necessarily Mamie. I don't think it's meant to be a fun read but that doesn't mean it's not a good read. I'm just in a bit of a funk right now and it doesn't appeal to me. I didn't Pearl Rule it. So that means it may appeal to me later. I just put it aside in favor of the Maples. They aren't fun either but I think I can deal with them for now. ;-)

SNAPE!!!

And I quote, "I don't think Witches is going to be a fun one Joe." *sobs*

I was also hoping for fun.

At least we have Snape.

True. So true, Joe!

I'm not eager to read any of the Rabbit Angstrom novels, but I'll probably read one or more of Updike's short stories that appeared in The New Yorker at the start of his writing career. I subscribe to the magazine, so I can read every article that has ever appeared in it online.

http://www.newyorker.com/contributors/john-updike/all

I just read Friends from Philadelphia, the first story that John Updike wrote for The New Yorker, which appeared in the October 30th, 1954 issue, shortly after he graduated from Harvard. It's about a nearly 16 year old boy in suburban NYC whose parents are hosting a couple from Philadelphia. His mother asks him to buy a bottle of wine for dinner, but John is turned away from the liquor store in town due to his young age. He goes to a neighbor's house to ask the man of the house to buy the wine for him, as the store is about to close. Inside watching television are Thelma, a fetching girl of his age who wears tiny shorts and a camp T-shirt, and Mrs. Lutz, a chain-smoking and seemingly bored housewife. Mr. Lutz, who has never attended college, soon returns home, slightly inebriated, and he, John and Thelma proceed to the liquor store in his brand new automatic drive Buick, which is his pride and joy, especially since John's college-educated parents own a much older 1947 Plymouth.

The story is slightly tense, due to the attraction between Thelma and John and the discomforting remarks that Mr. Lutz makes to John and his own family. It was a very quick read, but a surprisingly good one.

>40 kidzdoc: & >41 kidzdoc: I'm enjoying the first of the Maple stories so I think short stories is the way to go for this challenge.

>42 luvamystery65: Agreed. His poems may also be worthwhile to explore. This one comes from the March 16th, 2009 issue of The New Yorker:

THE CITY OUTSIDE

Stirs early: ambulances pull in far
below, unloading steadily their own
emergencies, and stray pedestrians
cross nameless streets. Traffic picks up at dawn,
and lights in the skyscrapers dim.
The map of Beacon Hill becomes 3-D,
a crust of brick and granite, the State House dome
a golden bubble single as the sun.

I lived in Boston once, a year or two,
in furtive semi-bachelorhood. I parked
a Karmann Ghia in Back Bay’s shady spots
but I was lighter then, and lived as if
within forever. Now I’ve turned so heavy
I sink through twenty floors to hit the street.

I had a fear of falling: airplanes
spilling their spinning contents like black beans;
the parapets at Rockefeller Center or
the Guggenheim proving too low and sucking
me down with impalpable winds of dread;
engorging atria in swank hotels,
the piano player miles below his music,
his instrument no bigger than a footprint.

I’m safe! Away with travel and abrupt
perspectives! Terra firma is my ground,
my refuge, and my certain destination.
My terrors—the flight through dazzling air, with
the blinding smash, the final black—will be
achieved from thirty inches, on a bed.

Strontium 90—is that a so-called
heavy element? I’ve been injected,
and yet the same light imbecilic stuff—
the babble on TV, newspaper fluff,
the drone of magazines, banality’s
kind banter—plows ahead, admixed
with world collapse, atrocities, default,
and fraud. Get off, get off the rotten world!

The sky is turning that pellucid blue
seen in enamel behind a girlish Virgin—
the doeskin lids downcast, the smile demure.
Indigo cloud-shreds dot a band of tan;
the Hancock Tower bares a slice of night.
So whence the world’s beauty? Was I deceived?

Okay, I was going to give a testimonial for Witches of Eastwick and The Widows of Eastwick, but I never did give my reads a personal rating. (I've only recently begun assigning star ratings.)

But I remember enjoying the books. I reread the first book (1996) in preparation for the second (2008).

So, for what it's worth, there are certainly worse books to read.

Karen O.

So I decided to take a look at the "Rabbit" books for my Updike reading. I'll start with Rabbit, Run.

If any of you do the "Take It or Leave It" challenge, the book is listed on challenge 4 (read a book by an author whose publication career spanned at least 15 years). Updike's career spanned FIFTY years (amazing!)

Karen O.

there are certainly worse books to read. Those are actually the most encouraging words I've heard about The Witches of Eastwick, Karen. I'll give it a go.

"So, for what it's worth, there are certainly worse books to read." Thanks, Karen! I think that pumped everyone up. LOL. I remember reading and enjoying The Widows of Eastwick but that was about 25 years ago. I know, that doesn't help at all either.

I didn't dislike what I was reading. It just wasn't for me right now. I don't know why but it was making me think of my mom and I miss her.

I'm glad Karen came by and gave it a recommendation.

I'm liking the Maple stories.

What have I done with my collection of Updike's essays and criticism? *wanders off perplexed, and not overly motivated by my quest*

I'm out. Witches of Eastwick was a yuck for me, so no. Just no.

I haven't started my Updike read (Terrorist) yet, but I am struggling to maintain an open mind!

>51 katiekrug: Try The Maple Stories. I'm halfway through. I took a break for Harry Dresden audio but they are perfect short stories for the daily commute.

Found the book, and started reading a selection called "The Future of Faith". The man can write.

>50 Crazymamie: I'm plodding through Witches of Eastwick. I'm about 1/3 through. I hate to give up because I have a perfect record for this challenge!

I'm already tainted, so I had no problem giving up. But I will cheer you on: "Go, Lois! Go Lois!"

Uh-oh!! Sounds like a mass exodus...Remember, women and children first and also keep in mind, the captain has to go down with the ship. Oh, brother.

Hey, if you gave it a try and it is not cutting it...life is to short, right?

Right, Mark. I gave it 100 pages. *steps into the lifeboat*

^^That better not be Joe, crouched under that seat!!

>58 msf59: Joe is on the other lifeboat with both hands at the oars rowing as fast as he can.

You guys are so funny!!

>56 msf59: Funny, the other book I have going at the moment is Abandoned Ship: An intimate account of the Costa Concordia shipwreck. The captain didn't go down with the ship!

I purchased a copy of Rabbit, Run this afternoon and will dig into it soon. As far as I can tell, no sentient being loves Updike so why is he considered such a classic American author?

I am reading Rabbit, Run and really liking it. In my estimation, Updike is a great writer.

I had read Rabbit at Rest years ago, so will now read the first three to complete the tetralogy.

Like Mamie, I tried The Witches of Eastwick, and I'm out. I made it through 100 pages, and it's just not worth the time for me. Can't remember the last time I didn't finish one, but as talented as he is, he just doesn't write about anything that interests me. Short stories, poems (I'm a New Yorker reader), Rabbit - I'm done.

Well, I made it through The Witches of Eastwick (determination is my middle name)! it was a strange book. I felt like I was privy to the sexual fantasy of a plain, boring, middle-aged, mamma's boy who turns out to be a serial killer. I think this was my first and probably will be my last Updike.

BTW, I never saw the movie. I can easily see Jack Nicholson as Darryl Van Horne, but there is no way that I can see Cher in any of the women's roles.

>63 EBT1002: I've been reading his non-fiction, Ellen, and from that I would definitely put him in the Great American Author category.

EDIT: To update, I continue to be impressed with Updike's non-fiction. I really do recommend it to anyone who's disgusted with his fiction, but wants to complete this challenge. I'm reading from Updike's Due Considerations, a collection of his essays, criticism, and book reviews (many published in The New Yorker). I'm happy to report that this is good stuff, people. I also recommend this blog for some insights into his short fiction, which I may try again when I've read more of his non-fiction.

"Laws aren't ghosts in this country, they walk around with the smell of earth on them."

-Rabbit, Run

^ I am over 60 pages in and I like it so far. Rabbit is a jerk but Updike's prose is spiky and deft.

I find I dislike Rabbit Redux even more than the first of the series, Rabbit Run - although I can well see why the series is so famous and is on those must read lists. the books are great time witnesses, the setting in that US smalltown microcosmos is interesting, but there's nothing for me to connect to and Updike is consequent in making his characters at the same time "average" and unlikeable, all of them, even Nelson.
The writing is great, but there's nothing to enjoy, to look forward to, to keep me interested in the story of that family, and I just want it to be over...I feel years older and tired at the end of each chapter.
I am listening to the audio book, so can't skip as I might do with a paper copy, but I am no longer rewinding when I miss a minute or so.

Deern, I get what you are saying. The seediness and the gloom are relentless! I am curious whether Updike was ever confronted with these thoughts by any of the critics and if so what he had to say. Makes you wonder.

I finished Rabbit, Run yesterday and went right on into Rabbit Redux and while they are, I must say, rather bleak
novels the writing is just so good I would hate to have missed it.

I'm well on my way to finishing Rabbit, Run and I just want to echo what mhmr said (so well!) above. Updike is showing us life. I'm very grateful to this challenge for prompting me to finally read more Updike.

Karen O.

"Rabbit is a jerk but Updike's prose is spiky and deft."
Thanks for this comment, Mark. It will help as I dig into Rabbit, Run later this month.

"...and hate suits him better than forgiveness. Immersed in hate he doesn't have to do anything; he can be paralyzed, and the rigidity of hatred makes a kind of shelter for him."

-Rabbit, Run

^These few words sum up the tone of this novel. This is a mean, jagged, painful, story. A distillation of how awful people can be. I am curious what Updike's motives were, in writing this. Is this how he sees our world? The false-fronts? The cruelty? Most of us, have seen the dark side of life, in certain individuals or situations but, hopefully most of us have enough love and joy in our lives to counter-balance the bleak and ugly. Every time, hope arrives in this narrative, it is quickly blind-sided by another tragic twist.

Updike was a major talent. There is some stunning prose in this book and for that reason, I still admire what he has done here and like a true sadist, (kidding, of course) I am curious to see where he takes Rabbit in the next book.

I tried reading Updike in the 80's. I was on a trip to DC, MD, and Virginia when the Witches of Eastwick came out and I picked up a hardback of all things and toted it around for a couple weeks. I tried and tried but ended up bailing on it. Along with one of the Rabbit books I had tried a few years earlier I wrote him off as not for me. A few days ago however I found a copy of The Centaur in a box of misc things where I didn't expect to find a book. Didn't find the photos I was looking for but decided I had a message from someone to try Updike once again. The Centaur actually looks very good so I hope to give it a go before the month is out.

>57 Crazymamie: >58 msf59: LOL!

So, I am starting the AAC a little late. (11th hour, indeed!) I just couldn't resist any longer. :)

I drove to the only library that had a copy of Rabbit, Run and have started it with gusto. In fact, I am about to log off LT now and find my spot in the sun to get a few more pages under my belt before kindy pick-up time (after which chaos will be the order of the day).

Better late than never, right?

Just finished Rabbit, Run this afternoon. Yes, a sad book, filled with imperfect characters and tragic events. But I can't help feeling empathy with all of the characters (even Rabbit), and love for a few (Rabbit's little boy is a sweetie).

I love Updike's writing. It's very "cinematic," and reminds me of Steinbeck in that way. Also seems very Steinbeck-ian in presenting the not-nice side of humanity.

Like you, Mark, I'm looking forward to reading more books in the "Rabbit" series.

Thanks again for this challenge, Mark!

Karen O.

Nice to see some Updike love around here. Grins...

>75 RBeffa: I read the Centaur many years ago but do not remember it. Have you started it? If so, how is it going?

>76 LovingLit: Hooray, for Megan! Never to late to jump on the AAC Train. Do you have any Larry Watson on shelf? And I hope you can join us for a few next year.

>77 klobrien2: Enjoyed your thoughts on Rabbit, Run, Karen. Honestly, I did not feel much empathy for the characters but I still liked the book and would like to see Rabbit evolve.

I had to put down The Witches of Eastwick too. My brain just couldn't take it right now. Maybe some other time...

>78 msf59: argh. Larry Watson, you mean of Montana 1948 fame, I guess. I may need to hit the library shelves for that must-read. It was my first LT BB, can you believe it!? It is a travesty that I have not read it yet.

I am only up to p80, but I do wonder about books like this, whether the author is a fantastic observer of people, or if there is a touch of him in the characters. I read on with trepidation.....

>80 LovingLit: Yes, that Watson and yes, READ Montana 1948. It is a Must!!

>81 LovingLit: " I read on with trepidation....." Expect that feeling for the duration. LOL.

>78 msf59: Mark, you may recall that the novel The Centaur moves from surreal to real to fantasy. Some of the writing in it so far is really nice but I'm making this a very slow read because otherwise I know I would completely not get what is going on. I still may not "get it" since most of the Greek mythology will be lost on me.

Like Megan, I'm reading on with trepidation.

You can do it, Ellen!!

I just finished listening to Rabbit Redux and I liked the second half much better than the first and the book altogether better than Rabbit Run. Thanks to lively characters turning up later in the book, Skeeter and Harry's sister Mim. Not that they were likeable, but they brought some dynamic into the static story and moved things (and Harry's thoughts - though not his actions) forward. I even felt some sympathy for Janice again in the end. I'd say that contrary to the first part, in this second book the characters really undergo development and I had the impression that their situation at the ending was chosen by them, not half-forced upon them as at the ending of book 1.
The writing is stellar, I hope I'll find an Updike novel where I enjoy the story more.

I am enjoying Rabbit Run but the writing is close enough to poetry that it doesn't read fast.

"The flowerbeds, bordered with bricks buried diagonally, are pierced by dull red spikes that will be peonies, and the earth itself, scumbled, stone-flecked, horny, raggedly patched with damp and dry, looks like the oldest and smells like the newest thing under Heaven."

I am rather enjoying Rabbit, Run. I read 50 pages at one sitting this afternoon and that is saying something for me.

Go Ellen! Go Ellen! If you made it 50 pages, you should be able to persevere...

>87 banjo123: Nice quote, Rhonda.

I'm not completely bailing out on this month of the AAC as I listened to the author read his story "Lifeguard" about a young divinity student's attempt to justify the lust he felt for the skimpily clad young women he was paid to watch in his summer job. Updike managed to say much more about the simple joys of life in story form. I'm always to find how much depth a good short story can convey...and this was a good one!

Me and Ellen are carrying the late can for Rabbit, Run it seems! I hav ebeen lugging the entire Rabbit omnibus about (it was the only copy I could get- the 4 novels in one hard cover concrete block) in the hope of snatching a few pages here and there. But it feels wrong somehow to be sneaking off from Lenny to read, so I gave that up and waited till today- the payoff, when I hope to get an hour (now!) to read a good chunk.
I am well over half way and although the plot is not so much moving as crawling.....slowly...I like the style and the observations. And I am chomping at the bit to read, so that tells me I like it!

I am done-burger!
Thanks to an hour wait yesterday in a waiting room I was able to read the last good chunk.
So far I can say I loved it (I give it 4-4.5 stars). One measly observation is that the word "foreshortened" is used far too often. I am sure about 5 times in the book and at least one occasion where it was twice in two pages.
But I love his observations on people, thoughts and life. I loved how Rabbit was able to justify his poor behaviour to himself and others without fail and indignantly (It it a good indicator of how others are able to....). I want to read the next book asap but am loathe to lug the tetralogy around any longer.

Good November choice Mark! Looking forward to December now :)

Wow, Megan! You do like DARK! You read that one without a single flinch. LOL.

^haha, it's true :)
The defining event in the book didn't affect me as much as it should/could have, I think because the person involved in it was under the influence. As their experience of it was clouded and blurry, the description of it was not a fully lloaded emotional event for me. Of course it was gripping and sad, but I didn't get pulled right down into the abyss.

"Picking the watery orange-red orbs, Alexandra felt she was cupping a giant lover's testicles in her hand. She recognized as she labored in her kitchen the something sadly menstrual in all this, the bloodlike sauce to be ladled upon the white spaghetti. The fat white strings would become her own white fat." ~The Witches of Eastwick

Really!?!

*contemplates throwing book at wall*

So "enjoying" is the wrong word, but Terrorist is turning into quite a good read!

>95 Morphidae: LOL! Been there, almost thrown that.

And what is wrong with a "giant lover's testicles"? Hmmmmmmmmmmm?

Oh, methinks I am glad I did not choose The Witches of Eastwick for this read. I was too sleepy to read as much as I had hoped on the red eye flight but I'm closing in on done-burger (to borrow Megan's phrase). I don't think I'll be chomping at the bit to read the next one but I like it much more than some folks have done. Updike is a talented writer; his descriptions of people and situations is, as others have said, almost poetic. He is certainly a very visual novelist!

>95 Morphidae: Oh...eeeewwww.

I have to publicly admit that I'm now curious about and may read Rabbit, Run. The combination of Megan, Ellen, Rhonda, and Mark saying wildly positive things about it is starting to make me reconsider my earlier reluctance. I will, however, stay away from The Witches of Eastwick. :-)

>95 Morphidae: LOL
Hm, that is an odd grouping of words.

Here is my review of Rabbit, Run!


Rabbit, Run by John Updike (264p)

This book came to me with warnings of its dark mood. Great, I thought. Right up my alley. And as I also like my books to be, it is not all about the plot.

The story unfolds slowly, allowing time for a real sense of place and personality to develop. We hear the internal monologues of various characters and however superficial their actions seem, their rationalisations for them are not. Being able to marry the action with the persons justifications for it is quite a treat. And it is this, I think, that made me love reading this book.

The plot itself does exist, and it involves Rabbit- a lanky ex-basketball high achiever, who is navigating his way around his young marriage. This is proving not as exciting for him as his heady days of sport. Rabbit is keen to explore and fulfill the needs of himself only, and has no qualms about making use of anyone who can assist his passage. He has a local church man willing to try to steer him on a more morally sound course, and his parents-in-law also care. His wife is struggling with alcohol and the stress of having a largely absent husband whilst caring for a toddler and being heavily pregnant. It is a sad state of affairs. The book ends with an incident, the result of which there is no coming back from. I look forward to reading the next installment.

Anyone able to quickly recommend a short story by Updike? I'm dreading trying to go back to Witches.

^ I don't wonder you aren't keen to go back to Eastwick :)
No knowledge on the short stories though, sorry.

>103 Morphidae: Someone I respect really likes "A&P" and "Separating" is in a good anthology I have.

I think Donna read "The Lifeguard" for the challenge... And I remember reading "A&P" in school, I think...

I think Rabbit Run is going to be one of my top reads of the year. I loved the visual language.

Am I going to have to read Rabbit, Run? *grumbles off to resurrect Updike volume of LOA from storage*

I agree that Rabbit, Run is a masterpiece of visual language. I gave it four stars and have a lot of respect for the writing. I, however, will not be reading the next installment. I just don't want to spend any more time with Rabbit.

I finished Terrorist today. It was not a perfect read, but a good one. Rather suspenseful which was a nice surprise, but the writing didn't suffer - as others have said, it was very visual.

Agree with Morphy (@ 95) and LoisB (@ 66). If I hadn't been determined to completely-complete this challenge, I would have run screaming away from The Witches of Eastwick. As it was, I'd borrowed the audio from the library, so I just continued housework while screaming at the author. I thought he did a rotten job of writing how women think (from this woman's viewpoint, at least). It read like a dirty old man's wet-dream. Hated it.

>103 Morphidae: I enjoyed The Maple Stories. Some were better than others but the last one when they become grandparents, was really a nice end to the collection.

>111 countrylife: "It read like a dirty old man's wet-dream." Brilliant. What a waste of talent.

>95 Morphidae: Question: Is the lover a giant, or are his testicles just enlarged for some reason? Maybe he should go see a doctor... I mean, honestly, one should seek clarity in one's writing, no?

>114 scaifea: *snorts* Don't know. Don't care. Didn't get much past that point.