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From: bob@cadovax.UUCP (Bob "Kat" Kaplan)
Newsgroups: net.books
Subject: Updike's "Rabbit" Trilogy
Message-ID: <573@cadovax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 24-Apr-85 20:04:26 EDT
Article-I.D.: cadovax.573
Posted: Wed Apr 24 20:04:26 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 28-Apr-85 04:25:09 EDT
Reply-To: bob@cadovax.UUCP (Bob "Kat" Kaplan)
Organization: Contel Cado, Torrance, CA
Lines: 26

From: waltt@tekecs.UUCP (Walt Tucker) <5271@tekecs.UUCP>

> I recommend the triology highly.  While you don't have to read the
> triology in order (I didn't), I would suggest that you do, as the later
> books tie in with events that occured earlier.  Updike has done a rather 
> interesting thing, writing these novels in real time as his characters also 
> develop. 
> 
> I would be interesting to hear other thoughts from people who have read this
> triology.  What do you think?

I read the Rabbit trilogy (in order) a while ago.  I thought "Rabbit, Run"
and "Rabbit Redux" were great (Updike is a wonderful writer most of the time),
but I didn't care for "Rabbit is Rich" that much.

The main character, Rabbit Angstrom, was always a self-centered egotistical
jerk, but as a young man he could get away with it and I could sometimes 
sympathize with him.  As a middle-aged man, he was more self-centered and more
of a jerk.  He never grew up; he just got older.  I couldn't sympathize with
him at all.

I think Updike should have quit when he was ahead. 
-- 
Bob Kaplan

"Just because I'm handsome doesn't mean I'm not intelligent."