"Dear John,
Well, if you must commit the artistic indecency of writing about a writer, better I suppose about me that about you."
-- Bech: A Book by John Updike.
This is from the fictitious forward by Henry Bech, hero of Updike's novel-in-short-stories. The stories, published between 1965 and 1970, tell of the exploits of an American novelist. This is the first of a trilogy, followed by Bech is Back and Bech at Bay.
So far, this isn't like anything else I've read by Updike. Bech seems more like a Saul Bellow hero. I am enjoying the book tremendously.
Love the Bech books, which I haven't read in years. Might be time for a revisit. You should have fun with this one. (And, yes, it DOES seem like Updike in a Bellow mood.)
ReplyDelete"In a Bellow mood!" That's my new favorite line! I may have to steal it from you.
ReplyDelete