1979

This novel is the reason that I began to read Updike at all. It was also one of the first novels that brought me to consider writing as more than an academic necessity. The words on Rabbit are many, and I would say that this novel is Rich is the flagship of the series. This is Rabbit at his peak; he has his life together…mostly. He runs the dealership and has reconciled with Janice. They live together with Janice’s mother. Seemingly this was their idea for a place to stay after the fire in Penn Villas and it has gone on for ten years. It is now 1979, Skylab is falling, Detroit’s Big Four (including AMC before they were bought by Chrysler in the 1980’s) are at the height of malaise (big, slow cars that were poorly built and engines that were completely detuned and smogged out thanks to the bastards at the EPA) and Rabbit golfs. He sleeps around and is infatuated with Cindy Murkett, the curvaceous blonde wife of his golfing partner Webb. It seems that Rabbit is not greedy, but is never satisfied. He doesn’t work hard for what he has, so he has no idea of its value. 

Further because he doesn’t work hard he doesn’t have a good idea of how to attain more. So he has what he has, and it is very nice comparatively, but he aspires for more because he is clueless.

Rabbit has also gotten over those odd days of harboring Skeeter and Jill. He is content to garden and golf in the suburbs of Brewer. He takes a vacation with other couples from the Country Club and tries wife swapping with disastrous results. Though he has a fun night with Thelma, it hurts his relationship with Janice. And just before he can finally sleep with Cindy, he and Janice must rush home because Nelson’s pregnant girlfriend Pru is going into labor.

Once again Rabbit doesn’t get it all. But he cannot see the forest for the trees because he doesn’t know what is really important.