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Episode 2

Episode 2 of 10

Nelson brings home Melanie, apparently his new girlfriend. But the two do not act like lovers. Melanie seems particularly unperturbed by having to have separate rooms.

John Updike's masterful Rabbit quintet established Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom as the quintessential American White middle class male. The first book Rabbit, Run was published in 1960 to critical acclaim. Rabbit Redux was the second in the series, published in 1971 and charted the end of the sixties - featuring, among other things, the first American moon landing and the Vietnam War.

This third book finds Rabbit in middle age and successful, having inherited his father in law's car business - selling newly imported Toyotas to the mass American market. But his relationship with his son Nelson was severely compromised by Rabbit's affair with Jill and her subsequent death has left them both wary of each other.

Published in 1981, Rabbit is Rich won Updike, among other awards, the Pulitzer Prize for fiction - and it's extraordinary how many of its themes continue to reverberate down to the present day.

Abridged by Robin Brooks
Read by Toby Jones
Produced by Clive Brill
A Brill production for 大象传媒 Radio 4.

14 minutes

Last on

Sat 24 Oct 2020 21:45

Credits

Role Contributor
Reader Toby Jones
Author John Updike
Abridger Robin Brooks
Producer Clive Brill

Broadcasts

  • Tue 3 Apr 2018 22:45
  • Sat 24 Oct 2020 21:45