Rabbit Reads

Yup, I was in the same room as America's Man of Letters, my favorite writer, the man whose books make my shelves groan. I went to a reading at the Union Square Barnes & Noble with a decent crowd of around 120 people in tow. No signing so I brought one of his books for naught. Just a nice reading and a short Q&A afterwards. As this was a reading of his most reccent novel Terrorist, the questions were about 9/11. Being less than one mile from Ground Zero still weighs heavily in people's minds. It's easy to think that people who may hate the war on terror also dismiss the impact of the terror attacks from five years ago. Not so. It's still on people's minds.

The reading was pleasant. Updike read in his light, almost wheezy voice, and he was straining a bit to hear the questions from the audience. He still has an impish smile and he seems tickled at times that he has made a life of writing novels, short stories, reviews and poems. The B&N representative who introduced Updike mentioned a forthcoming novel in October and I believe she called it Due Consideration. I think I read that he called it a multiple-character book, much like the cast of dozens from the film Gosford Park. I wonder if it will be a small New Engand town teeming with affairs and troubled marriages. Can't wait.

I also finished Money by Martin Amis. A mad, howling and hysterical book. It's pure Brit Bellow, a crazy hero behaving poorly, showing no grace, will power, or reflection. Just pure, raw id. Imagine Herzog or Herderson the Rain King high on coke and whiskey in 1980s Manhattan. Absolutely terrific.

I am reading Very Good, Jeeves, my first venture into the land of Wodehouse. I am glad to discover Wodehouse later in life -- if I had picked up this book shortly after college, I doubt I would have relished it the way I am now.

On order from Amazon: Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis and Suite Francaise. Should be here in a few weeks.