Questo autore americano è celebrato per le sue penetranti esplorazioni della classe media americana, esaminando la loro fede e mortalità con eccezionale maestria e produzione prolifica. La sua voce distintiva approfondisce le complesse interrelazioni tra sesso, fede e morte, cogliendo le sfumature dell'esperienza umana. Con un occhio attento ai dettagli e un dominio magistrale del linguaggio, la sua vasta opera offre profonde intuizioni che continuano a risuonare nei lettori.
Il famoso Henry Bech ha ormai cinquant'anni. In questo romanzo Bech riflette sulla sua fama, viaggia per il mondo, sposa un divorziata di Westchester, e - sorpresa per tutti - scrive un libro che diventa un bestseller.
A settant’anni, Owen Mackenzie ripercorre tutta la sua vita. Ricorda i luoghi in cui ha vissuto, la storia di una lunga carriera, ma soprattutto le donne che ha conosciuto e amato: dagli oggetti delle fantasie adolescenziali, fino ai primi baci e alla scoperta del sesso, da Elsie alla prima moglie Phyllis, per poi arrivare a Faye, Stacey, Vanessa, Alissa, tanti nomi per altrettanti amori e tradimenti. E poi Julia, l’ultima moglie, la donna che adesso, ogni mattina, si sveglia accanto a lui. E lungo questa trafila erotica che sembra non avere fine, Owen, pioniere dell’informatica in pensione, rivive anche il progresso tecnologico che ha attraversato questi ultimi cinquant’anni, dai primi IBM fino a Apple e a Windows; e naturalmente anche i villaggi che di quelle avventure e di quel progresso sono stati lo scenario quasi inconsapevole: luoghi di un’America provinciale e periferica, dalla Pennsylvania al Connecticut al Massachusetts, ognuno con i suoi segreti da custodire, ognuno con le sue relazioni ambigue e le sue donne da sedurre.
A Library of America Special Publication
The book captures the iconic moment of Ted Williams' final at-bat at Fenway Park on September 28, 1960, where he hit a memorable solo home run. This poignant event symbolizes the culmination of an illustrious baseball career and resonates deeply with fans, marking a significant chapter in sports history. The narrative delves into the emotions and legacy surrounding this legendary player, celebrating his impact on the game and the unforgettable farewell to a beloved figure in baseball.
Fifty-six and overweight, Harry Rabbit Angstrom has a struggling business on his hands and a heart that is starting to fail. His family, too, is giving him cause for concern. His son is a wreck of a man and his wife has decided that she wants to be a working girl. He has to make the most of life. After all, he doesn't have much time left.
The third and fourth novel in John Updike's acclaimed quartet of Rabbit books -- now in one marvelous volume. RABBIT IS RICHWinner of the American Book Award andthe National Book Critics Circle Award"Dazzlingly reaffirms Updike's place as master chronicler of the spiritual maladies and very earthly pleasure of the Middle-American male."Vogue"A splendid achievement!"The New York TimesRABBIT AT RESTWinner of the Pulitzer Prize andthe National Book Critics Circle Award"Brilliant . . . It must be read. It is the best novel about America to come out of America for a very, very long time."The Washington Post Book World"Powerful . . . John Updike with his precision's prose and his intimately attentive yet cold eye is a master."The New York Times Book Review
Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for criticism, Hugging the Shore is an enormously intelligent, witty collection of essays by John Updike. The Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist sheds keen light on everything from the first kiss to going barefoot to the world's greatest writers. First time in paper.
Newly revised by the author for this edition, and printed together in one volume for the first time, Updike's four Rabbit novels chronicle the history of a man and a nation from the 1950s to the 1980s. Harry 'Rabbit' Angstrom, athlete, is Mr Middle America. Dazzling in style, tender in feeling, often erotic in description and coruscating with realistic details which recreate a world in each novel, these books give a complete picture of their age.
The collection features a diverse array of nonfiction pieces that reflect Updike's youthful ambition and keen observations of midcentury America. It includes parodies, personal essays, and notable works like "Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu," capturing Ted Williams's final game. Updike also offers evocative memories of his Pennsylvania childhood and insightful critiques of literary figures such as Nabokov and Salinger. This blend of humor, nostalgia, and literary analysis showcases Updike's emerging voice and establishes him as a significant critic of his time.
"in John Updike's second collection of assorted prose, mostly picked-up pieces of his writing for The New Yorker during the 1960s and early '70s, we find the author coming into his own as a book reviewer"--P. [4] of cover.
This rich collection of John Updike's more recent essays, critical writings and reflections has something to say about almost everyone and everything - from sexual politics to spiritual matters to unopenable packages.