Villages (1st UK)
Inbunden bok. Penguin Books Ltd. first UK edition, first printing uppl. 2004. 321 sidor.
Nära nyskick. Skyddsomslag i mycket gott skick.
First UK edition and first print!!
Publisher's boards with original dust jacket. 23*14 cm,, 321 pages.
Tight and firm binding, NO inscriptions or writing. Jacket is very decorative and in top condition (has a spot of wear to one corner) see attached picture.
Villages
is a novel by John Updike, first published in 2004, that chronicles the life and extramarital affairs of its protagonist, Owen Mackenzie, across three different communities. It is a work of psychological fiction and a Bildungsroman, or coming-of-age story, that spans from the Great Depression era to the early twenty-first century.
Synopsis
The novel follows Owen Mackenzie through three distinct "villages" that shape his life and character:
Willow, Pennsylvania: Owen's birthplace, a semi-rural town where he spends his sheltered childhood, developing a "charmed, only-child sense of life".
Middle Falls, Connecticut: The setting for Owen's adulthood, where he becomes a successful, early computer programmer and embarks on a series of discreet extramarital affairs.
Haskells Crossing, Massachusetts: The "rather geriatric community" where Owen retires with his second wife, Julia, reflecting on his past life and relationships.
The narrative is driven by Owen's numerous romantic relationships and his pursuit of personal happiness, which often leads to emotional chaos for those around him. The novel explores themes of suburban life, adultery, middle-class boredom, and the passage of time, with some reviewers noting similarities to Updike's earlier novel Couples.
Reviews and Reception
Villages received mixed reviews, with critics praising Updike's signature writing style while some questioned the novelty of the themes.
Praise: Reviewers note Updike's "enviable novelistic skills" and "wit and veracity of his language". Many found the character of Owen Mackenzie believable and engaging, even if not always likable, and the depiction of middle-class America insightful.
Criticism: Some detractors found the book long-winded, with the protagonist's emotional journey failing to resonate beyond a surface level. The focus on adultery was seen by some as a rehash of familiar Updike territory without a fresh perspective.
Ultimately, the novel is considered a solid, later work by Updike, showcasing his mastery of language and detailed observations of American life.
Förlagsfakta
- ISBN
- 9780241143087
- Titel
- Villages
- Författare
- John Updike
- Förlag
- Penguin Books Ltd.
- Utgivningsår
- 2004
- Omfång
- 321 sidor
- Bandtyp
- Inbunden
- Mått
- 145 x 225 mm Ryggbredd 30 mm
- Vikt
- 518 g
- Språk
- English
- Baksidestext
- John Updike's 21st novel describes the life, romantic and otherwise, of Owen Mackenzie. Owen's education at M.I.T. and his successful business take him from the village of his birth, Willow, in eastern Pennsylvania, to Haskells Crossing, in eastern Massachusetts, where he expects to end his days. In the course of this modest life journey, the communal humanity of villages, chiefly embodied in their female citizens, seeks to humanize him, assuaging and chastening his childhood sense of singularity and foreboding. He knows that the quotidian surface holds an abyss of calamity beneath it, but he strives to cling to his dreamlike sense of leading a charmed life, an attempt in which he is encouraged by his two wives, Phyllis and Julia, and a number of other women.
