One of Updike's most sophisticated entertainments, with delightful surprises on every page. As an alter ego, Henry Bech is a sort of anti-Updike. From the metropolis, Jewish, never went to college, served in the military, a confirmed bachelor, and suffering from writer's block. Bech is also an Updikean vehicle for satirizing the New York literary scene, and American letters in general. ( )

Ordinarily John Updike is an author I enjoy, as in his "Rabbit, Run". But this story of an American writer travelling through Europe, although well-written, failed to move or interest me in any way. It is one of those books that English teachers love, but I was happy to just finish it. I keep it out of respect for the author and the skill that went into it, but the characters did not particularly intrigue me, especially Bech. ( )

http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/updike.htm...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Upd...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bech:_A_... ( )