John Updike

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Yes! I am casting my memory back to The Afterlife, and another interesting story in that collection is "Aperto, Chiuso." It's a pretty thorny bit of misogyny that is paradoxically revealing.

The woman is being portrayed as irrational and hysterical. The guy is presenting himself as decent and well-intentioned and perplexed by her irrationality. But then on second thought, he's the viewpoint character so he's obviously sculpting the narrative; if you read it through 21st-century eyes you can see that he's actually being kind of a dick. Not sure if that's how Updike saw it but that's my current reading.

blissfully unawarewolf (Ye Mad Puffin), Tuesday, 25 October 2022 18:07 (one year ago) link

That's good that the story lets you do that: a strong. always pertinent POV, suitable for different interpretations.
xp first gondolier first gondola, I meant! Proustian Slip, but also I was trying to suppress reference to Updike as my thoughtful gondolier on this maiden voyage through his review, because too corny even for me.

dow, Tuesday, 25 October 2022 18:12 (one year ago) link

But even or especially with Pinter's crisp, startling reduction, there's a sense of gliding conveyed by Updike's impressions of his reading and thinking experience.

dow, Tuesday, 25 October 2022 18:17 (one year ago) link

Carefully guided, responsive gliding.

dow, Tuesday, 25 October 2022 18:18 (one year ago) link

Glide, Rabbit, Glide

blissfully unawarewolf (Ye Mad Puffin), Tuesday, 25 October 2022 18:19 (one year ago) link

I read RABBIT, RUN, and greatly admired its style, and was surprised and maybe even disturbed by its drama.

the pinefox, Tuesday, 25 October 2022 21:01 (one year ago) link

I have a Henry Green book signed by John Updike. The man must have put his signature in everything.

Tsar Bombadil (James Morrison), Friday, 28 October 2022 01:14 (one year ago) link

Reminds me of the time David Markson's library ended up at The Strand.

Capital Radio Sweetheart (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 28 October 2022 01:26 (one year ago) link

A friend of mine brought a copy of Nicholson Baker’s U and I to a reading for Updike to sign.

The self-titled drags (Eazy), Friday, 28 October 2022 04:04 (one year ago) link

I saw a film trailer today for something called Living which I was sure was a Henry Green adaptation. I want to believe.

Capital Radio Sweetheart (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 28 October 2022 04:24 (one year ago) link

Apparently it's an Englishing of a Kurosawa movie.

Tsar Bombadil (James Morrison), Friday, 28 October 2022 06:38 (one year ago) link

Oh right.

Capital Radio Sweetheart (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 28 October 2022 06:38 (one year ago) link


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