Henry Bech, the moderately well known Jewish-American writer who served as the hero of John Updike's previous "Bech: A Book" (1970) and "Bech Is Ba...
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Feb 26, 2009
Eric
rated it: 
By far the best of the three Bech books. The seemingly obligatory travel sketch is mercifully short, and the rest of the book is amazing. It's been a long time since a book made me laugh this hard. Bech becomes president of an American Academy of Arts & Letters-like organization, where he presides over the bickerings of perfectly-rendered satirical portaits of senile eminence; is sued for libel by, and during the trial nurses a filial love for, an aging Hollywood mogul; murders (or induces the s
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Nov 13, 2009
Harold
rated it: 
"Bech at Bay" is the last of Updike's Bech trilogy, tales of the life of his libidinous "Jewish" author-persona.
After three books, I still have not accepted Bech as a genuine, successfully-realized literary character, much less an authentic Jewish author. I'm still not sure why Updike chose to emphasize this character's Jewishness or supposed New York origins, except possibly to distance him from Updike's own persona, or out of envy of the New York Jewish intellig More...
After three books, I still have not accepted Bech as a genuine, successfully-realized literary character, much less an authentic Jewish author. I'm still not sure why Updike chose to emphasize this character's Jewishness or supposed New York origins, except possibly to distance him from Updike's own persona, or out of envy of the New York Jewish intellig More...
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Feb 23, 2011
Owen
rated it: 
I suffered through this book solely to feel justified in writing a scathing review. why do creepy old writers give us characters that are creepy old writers who are incredible sexually successful in spite of age, looks, charm and paunch? Do they think we want to read about this? I found Bech to be my second lowest rated protagonist, barely squeezing by Leopold Bloom, the public masturbating flashing Loyalist in Dublin (which may something of my character because by the end Bech is a serial ki
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Apr 12, 2011
Mike
rated it: 
"That a negative review might be a fallible verdict, delivered in haste, against a deadline, for a few dollars, by a writer with problems and limitations of his own was a reasonable and weaseling supposition he could no longer, in the dignity of his years, entertain."
Love that bit.
Love that bit.
Aug 13, 2009
Marvin
rated it:
The Bech books are among the least memorable of Updike's novels, but still make for enjoyable reading.
Dec 31, 2009
Andrés
rated it:
This "Quasi-Novel" lacks two crucial ingredients of a good book: interesting characters and an interesting plot. Very very rarely was anything worth reading, which was disappointing since Updike has such a reputation. Whole sections seem like nothing more than name-dropping, not writing. And the chapter "Bech Noir" is disturbing, pointless, and flagrantly unfunny, all at the same time. Thankfully, the book is quite short.
Aug 11, 2009
Frank
rated it:
hilarious account where beck, now an old man, gets vicarious revenge for john updike by a) killing off his reviewers, b) inheriting a fortune, c) yielding to the importunities of a young assistant to impregnate her, and, best of all, d) winning the nobel prize by default
for readers who have read all the way through the beck series, this novel makes it all worthwhile.
for readers who have read all the way through the beck series, this novel makes it all worthwhile.
Sep 09, 2008
Dan
rated it:
The first Updike I read, and I was hooked. The writing is very polished (it's a story supposedly told by a writer), and it's hilarious. Basically it's an account of how a successful author deals with becoming old and ultimately obsolete. He has a few tricks up his sleeve, and they're shocking and surprising.
May 10, 2008
Sandra
rated it: 
Antihero, and Updike's alter-ego; Bech is apathetically Jewish, a bachelor (later a husband and stepfather for a time, and finally a father in old age), and famously unprolific.
Jan 21, 2008
Lynne
rated it:
I had not read any John Updike since I was a young adult. Reading it for book club and reminded why he is such a prolific and well-read author, recommend it.
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