It took me approximately a year to work my way through all four novels, and finally, I completed them. I have accompanied Harry Angstrom through all kinds of situations, both good and bad (mostly bad).

Harry committed a great many truly awful deeds, and for the most part, I despised him with a passion. However, every now and then, there were brief moments when one could catch a glimpse of someone who was attempting to do the right thing but simply didn't know how. In my opinion, he was far more sympathetic in the first and last novels. I could fathom the reasons behind some of the actions he took when he was young, and also when he was older. But I could barely endure the second and third novels, during which he was in his most self-indulgent and greedy phases.

Harry was indolent and self-centered, always expecting things to be handed to him on a silver platter. He invariably took the easiest path. It was irritating, yet it was also fascinating (and often sad) to observe how this behavior affected him and the people in his vicinity. And it was moving to see how people endeavored to forgive him and still love him. By the conclusion, I think I had forgiven him a little for causing me so much offense in the earlier books. He is not a good person, but he had emotions, hopes, and dreams just like everyone else.

The writing in these books is outstanding, especially the exquisite descriptions of the landscape and the minute details that Updike inserts at precisely the right moment to make everything seem vivid and alive.

Life is often compared to a journey, and it can be divided into four volumes, each with its own unique characteristics and experiences.

In the first volume, we are like seedlings just sprouting, full of curiosity and vitality. We explore the world around us, learning new things and making mistakes. This is a time of growth and discovery, as we begin to form our identities and values.

The second volume is like the blooming of a flower. We are in the prime of our lives, full of energy and passion. We pursue our dreams, build relationships, and face challenges head-on. This is a time of excitement and adventure, as we strive to make our mark on the world.

The third volume is like the autumn season, when the leaves begin to change colors and fall. We may start to experience some setbacks and losses, but we also gain wisdom and perspective. This is a time of reflection and adjustment, as we重新evaluate our goals and priorities.

The fourth volume is like the winter of our lives, when we may slow down and enjoy the quiet moments. We look back on our journey with a sense of fulfillment and gratitude, knowing that we have lived a life worth living. This is a time of peace and contentment, as we prepare for the next stage of our existence.

In conclusion, life in four volumes is a beautiful and complex journey, filled with joy and sorrow, success and failure. Each volume has its own significance and value, and together they make up the tapestry of our lives.

These books, when considered together, create the most intimate and enchanting portraits of late twentieth-century America that I have ever come across.

John Updike, with his remarkable literary prowess, lays bare the delicate and often vulnerable intimacies of human thoughts and desires. He does so in a direct and present-tense manner that is truly unprecedented.

His writing style allows the reader to step right into the minds and hearts of his characters, experiencing their joys, sorrows, and passions as if they were their own.

The vividness and authenticity with which he描绘 these aspects of human nature make his works not only a pleasure to read but also a profound exploration of the human condition during that particular era.

It is through Updike's masterful storytelling that we gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the complex and ever-evolving tapestry of American life in the late twentieth century.

I didn't know what to make of the first few chapters of Rabbit, Run. It took me a little while to get to grips with what I was reading. I think it was because it was so good. The tiniest details of Rabbit Angstrom's life as he runs away from his responsibilities quickly became addictive reading.

The characters in the book are incredible creations - fully human and whole. It's true that Rabbit is no hero - he's not particularly likeable or sympathetic and doesn't become so during the course of the book. But he is probably one of the most complete and meticulous creations in literature.

I'm rationing the remaining novels in this omnibus - the temptation is to devour them all at once! I'm trying to savor each page, each word, to truly understand the depth and complexity of Updike's writing. I know that once I finish this omnibus, I'll be left with a sense of longing for more of Rabbit's story. But for now, I'm content to take my time and enjoy the journey.

I found myself compelled to reread the Rabbit series. The reason why I am so drawn to this cantankerous middle-aged to old man remains a mystery to me. However, Updike's character has truly seized my heart.

...

I admit, I cheated a little. I read the first and fourth books, while listening to the second and third. But despite this, I loved it just as much the second time around. There is something about the Rabbit character that is so captivating. His flaws, his insecurities, and his journey through life all make for a truly engaging read.

Updike's writing is also a major factor in my enjoyment of the series. His prose is beautiful, yet simple enough to understand. He has a way of bringing the characters and the settings to life, making it easy for the reader to become fully immersed in the story.

Rereading the Rabbit series has been a wonderful experience, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great read.

John Updike is one of my favorite authors for two reasons.

The first and most obvious is the language. He is unrivaled when it comes to imagery and similes, and he lavishes as much love on accurately describing the foaming water running along the edge of a sidewalk as he does on a loving act. John Updike's language is a network, where all the words take on new colors when linked together. What he writes is often tragic but with a light, laid-back, humorous tone.

The second reason is his ability to create character portraits. Harry "Haren" Angstrom is a slob, an anti-hero, but also a thoughtful father, grandfather, a slacker. As a reader, one understands and sympathizes with him.

In the books, one follows Haren from the skepticism and frustration of youth to the bitterness of old age. It is a fascinating scope. When I close the last book, I feel that I will miss him; his mood swings, jabs, and caustic comments about the state of the world.

There are two things that Updike has often been criticized for. The first is that he writes completely without plot. This is largely true. But then one must understand that his intention was probably never to write in that way. The books are built around a number of everyday scenes, and through the vivid characters, the scenes become charged. We understand their motives and frustrations and thus, just as in real life, read a lot between the lines.

The second criticism of Updike is sex. It is not only prominent in the books about Haren but in all his works. It is always close at hand, all the characters have a clear sexual drive. For me, in some books (especially Rabbit is Rich) it is on the verge of being too much, while in others (Rabbit at Rest) it is better balanced. Presumably, Updike himself was a very sexual individual, but where sex in literature can often be embarrassing, I think that in Updike's case it becomes everyday and comic. There is in Rabbit is Rich a completely unforgettable scene in which Harry and his wife play with gold coins in the bedsheets.

The stories, which were published at 10-year intervals, depict America.

They are what one should read to truly understand the American dream. Or what makes up the country: poverty, misery, yuppies, drugs, family life, the chaos of race and group affiliations, car salesmen, golf clubs, politics, death.

Excellent reading for those who want to disappear into fine language or, for that matter, acquire a new, slightly disturbing but entertaining friend, in Harry Angstrom.

So, in my book club, no one else had a particular fondness for my selection.

I must admit that the majority of the characters in the book are not especially likable. However, Updike's writing style had a certain allure that kept me engaged throughout. The characters, although perhaps not endearing on the surface, were truly interesting to me.

Everyone is familiar with a Rabbit Angstrom - that popular high school athlete who may be a bit of a jerk but isn't really a bad person. After high school, he ends up being an ordinary nobody.

Yet, there are elements within all the characters that we can relate to in the way they deal with lives that haven't unfolded as they had planned.

What I found quite telling was that although the book club members said they didn't necessarily like the story, they still thought it was a book worth reading.

If you decide to take on this book, be aware that it's the last 60 pages or so that truly make it a worthwhile read.

It's in those final pages that the true essence and depth of the story are revealed, making the entire reading experience worthwhile.

So, despite the initial reservations of my book club, I believe this book has its own unique charm and value that is worth exploring.

Rabbit's life served as a remarkable lens, through which the intricate interaction between American culture and his inner monologue could be vividly witnessed. He was by no means a paragon or a significant cultural influencer. Instead, his actions and decisions were nothing but reflections of the era in which he resided.

This epic series of novels managed to capture history in a truly extraordinary way. It presented history as we would envision it within our own lifetimes, from a first-person, present perspective. This approach added a layer of authenticity and immediacy to the narrative.

The story offers us a unique vantage point into a life that is delivered with unfiltered honesty. It makes one wonder how an honest account of one's own life would unfold on the written page. Would it be as complex, as revealing, and as thought-provoking as Rabbit's story? Only by delving deep into our own experiences and laying them bare can we begin to approach the level of honesty and self-awareness that this story embodies.

Words simply don't do this justice.

This statement holds true in many aspects of life. When we try to describe something truly remarkable, beautiful, or profound, words often fall short.

We might use the most eloquent language, the most vivid adjectives, but still, we can't fully capture the essence of what we are experiencing.

For example, when we witness a breathtaking sunset, with the sky painted in a myriad of colors, it's almost impossible to put into words the exact emotions and sensations it evokes.

Or when we encounter a piece of art that speaks to our souls, words seem inadequate to convey the depth of its meaning and the impact it has on us.

In such cases, we are left with a sense of awe and wonder, knowing that words can only hint at the true magnitude of what we have witnessed.

It is in these moments that we realize the limitations of language and the power of direct experience.

Yet another "classic" that makes me question the people who make those decisions.

What on earth was happening on the day when all those people got together in that room and declared, "this year's winner is RABBIT, this book about a stupid guy who continuously relives high school, his idiotic decisions, and the way he keeps making the same moronic decisions over and over again."

To make matters even worse, these people had the audacity to say TWICE that this piece of c*^p was good!!!

It truly boggles the mind how such a book could be lauded as a "classic" and receive such praise.

One would think that the criteria for awarding a literary work would be based on its merit, creativity, and ability to engage and inspire readers.

However, in this case, it seems that the decision-makers had a completely different set of standards.

Perhaps they were swayed by something other than the quality of the writing.

Whatever the reason, it is clear that this so-called "classic" fails to meet the expectations of what a great book should be.

There are certain books that enjoy a great reputation, and many people seem to take great pleasure in reading them. However, you might find that you have no connection with them at all.

When I completed reading these Rabbit books, I couldn't help but wonder why I had persisted. Looking at the series as a whole, I have the impression that the author was writing magical realism from a strictly realistic perspective. He appears to be making broad statements about the experiences of, for example, race or adulthood, as felt by a particular slice of the US population, specifically a white, male slice from the North-easterly section of the country. The kinds of statements that, in the form of myth, we can easily accept, such as it raining uninterruptedly for decades, yet when presented realistically, just seem rather strange.

Still, it is a particular type of not quite Everyman that illustrates the changing USA and the shifts in its culture from the 1950s through to the 1980s.

When in the first book, Rabbit drives away from his hometown but eventually turns back, do we say that escape from his life (or himself, insofar as the two can be separated) is possible but he chooses not to, or that because he chooses to turn back, escape is impossible and that the North-American hero of that time must tread the path from High School sports to divorce via early marriage? Then again, is this pure authorialness - an explicit claim to the guild that this work is intended as a masterpiece because here is a late Twentieth-century Tom Sawyer traveling south with ironies intended?

Aside from this, I did like the scene where he dribbled the gold coins over his sleeping wife, which is again a shade of myth, with Zeus and Danae translated into an American context - was materialism intended? And later, his struggle with the sacks of silver coins as a result of his very literal speculation in metal currency.

Anyhow, I thought there were only three volumes to this when I read it - beware, it grows!

Selfish, immature, cruel, and unlikable men.

They are like an all-American nightmare, much like the badly designed Toyotas. They encircle women and encroach upon suburbia.

Updike's novels never disappoint. He always manages to write something that you can't help but hate.

In his works, he uses flowing and well-tuned phrases that seem to wash over the nasty pettiness of the lives he depicts.

There is always a certain glow, or perhaps it's a glower, of a well-educated Easterner.

His writing style is both captivating and repulsive, making you unable to look away from the unappealing characters and situations he presents.

It's as if he is deliberately trying to push your buttons and make you feel a range of emotions, from disgust to fascination.

Updike's novels are a unique exploration of the human condition, filled with flaws, vices, and the darker side of life.

Whether you love them or hate them, there's no denying the impact his works have on readers.