From the Bookshelf of Reading List Completists…

Rabbit, Run (Rabbit Angstrom, #1)

John Updike

Start date: February 1, 2017

Finish date: February 28, 2017

Discussion: Group Reads

Why we're reading this: Winner of the February 2017 First Book in a Series Poll
[close] Winner of the February 2017 First Book in a Series Poll

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What Members Thought

Feb 19, 2017 Matthew rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, 2017, completist-book-club, library, classic

Have you ever seen something noted because it is a representation of a specific thing? For example, a building might be marked with a plaque as a perfect representation of a type of architecture. Well, this book should be marked with a plaque as a perfect prose example of America in the late 50s/early 60s. The thoughts, ideas, acceptable social standards, treatment of women, etc. are so vivid and strongly represented, but soooooo dated!

The book is very interesting, but mainly held my attention t ...more

113 likes · Like · see review

Jan 19, 2019 Henry rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

This the first of John Updike’s four “Rabbit” novels. Updike utilized a very unique approach in that the novels were written in real time, each published about a decade apart as the main character Robert “Rabbit” Angstrom grows older at the same pace. Similarly, the America which Angstrom experiences in each novel is described contemporaneously by Updike. The four novels as a whole could be considered “the great American Novel.” It is a brilliant epic of late Twentieth Century America society. I ...more

30 likes · Like · see review

Mar 25, 2022 Peter Adamson rated it liked it · review of another edition

Mixed feelings on this one—of the “men behaving badly” books from the middle of last century, this one generally held my interest— but it had long sections where it did not.

This book doesn’t really pay off until near the end, but it takes a long time to get there!

1 like · Like · see review