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Rabbit, Run (Rabbit Angstrom #1) by John Updike.

"Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom,, once a star basketball player in high school, gets to briefly relive his glory days when he joins a game after work. It's the realization that he's no longer the best, that nobody even knows who he is, that drives Rabbit to run. Leave his job, his wife, his child, leave it all behind and try to start something new. Rabbit is a hateful MC but Updikes beautiful prose saves the book." 

3 Stars

Pros: Updike does have an amazing way with words and character. Though his dialogue left something to be desired, it could also be a generational thing. And though Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom is one of the most abhorrently selfish MCs I've ever come across, Updike also has me intrigued. That's the real trick and he's succeeded. 

Cons: Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom is an absolute moron. His selfishness is literally, life threatening and his general lack of empathy is just...shocking. There have been protagonists I've not liked but Rabbit might be up there on top. At the same time though, Updike left it in such a way that...I may have to subject myself to more Rabbit Angstrom in order to find out what happens. 

Full Review: 

Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom is a 26 year old, married man with a two year old son, another baby on the way and his nervous wife, Janice. He doesn't realize how dead inside he is until one afternoon while walking home from work he sees kids playing basketball. He joins them and is again in his prime. He's back in high school where he set and then broke his own record. He is a star and everyone knows his name. 

Or at least, he was. 

Horrified at the meaningless nothingness of his own existence, Rabbit stumbles home, sparing a few snide words with Janice, who's been drinking since noon. It's not until his wife is dutifully is cooking dinner and simply asks him to pick her up a pack of cigarettes that he realizes what he has to do.

He runs. 

He gets in his car and he drives all the way to West Virginia. But then guilt turns him back home. Instead of going back to his wife, he instead seeks advice in the company of his old Basketball coach Mr. Tothero. Tothero insists on taking Rabbit to dinner where he introduces him to his lady friend, Margaret, and her girlfriend, Ruth. All it takes is one look at Ruth and Rabbit suddenly feels like he doesn't have to run anymore. 

I'm sure you can guess where it goes from there. 

Though there were some truly gut wrenching parts in this book, since no one should have to go through what the Angstroms did, Rabbit Angstrom himself is such an arrogant, blind idiot that I spent most of the book wanting to slap him in the face. And even though I don't want to be, I'm honestly curious as to where Updike can go with this and so, after I finish my easier read, I may be opening Rabbit Redux. 

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