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After reading number two in this series (Rabbit Redux, 3-stars), Rabbit is Rich has John Updike smashing the ball all over the park, he’s back to his deliciously, wicked, best.

We catch Harry (Rabbit) Angstrom in 1979. After the disasters that occurred in Rabbit Redux, things appear to have settled down for Rabbit and his wife Janice. Rabbit is the boss of the car yard handed down from his father-in-law, selling Toyota’s with his mate Charlie (the bloke who ran away with Janice in a previous instalment). Little Japanese cars seem to be rising in popularity due to the petrol crisis during this time.

They live with Ma Springer, Janice’s mum, and things are okay. I quite liked Ma Springer, yeah sure she’s a bit of an old battleaxe and the walls are thin �� but she seems happy to have them around. It’s not long before the troublesome son, Nelson, comes to stay �� he wants to drop out of college (he’s almost graduated for heaven’s sake). This pisses Rabbit off, no end. The relationship between father and son is fractured on a good day. Nelson has come back with a young woman called Melanie �� girlfriend? Who knows? But of course �� we are treated to Rabbit’s lecherous thoughts, which are ribald and comprehensive. Some of his musings made me cringe, and others made me laugh. Again, and I am qualified to say this, Updike hits the bullseye with the machinations of the male mind, ladies.

When dragging a pile of old Penthouse’s and Playboy’s to the trash - The full load of magazines makes the trash baller almost too heavy to lift. A ton of c*nt. He lugs it downstairs…��. Yes, if you’re new to Updike �� this is what you’re in for.

We are then, quite happily, dragged into drama on steroids (truly). There’s Nelson’s apathy about life, and antipathy towards his Dad, Nelson’s propensity to damage cars, Nelson’s desire to take over the car-yard, Melissa’s body, the Angstrom’s circle of ‘interesting friends��, the politics of the time �� gas, Iran, Carter (RIP), wife and husband swapping (explicit ((more explicit)), than usual), money and life in general, all in a town called Brewer.

Rabbit could never understand why people can’t drink seawater. It can’t be any worse than mixing Coke and potato chips

Updike’s overly descriptive writing is magic. If you read this and it becomes too much, put the book down and return to it with fresh eyes. You do not want to miss a beat. Whether it be the descriptions of the scenery as Rabbits drives to work or the curves of Pru’s (another girlfriend of Nelson), buttocks �� it’s the best. Not Pru’s buttocks, the writing.

��.when he bent his face close to old Ruth’s in the light of the door, a glitter there, on the tired skin beneath here eyes, and by the idiotic thought, which it seems he should bottle and sell, that our tears are always young, the saltwater stays the same from the cradle, as she said, to grave

We are set up nicely now for #4, Rabbit at Rest. I must make sure to read this one within a few months �� to remember what happened previously. It does take a while to remember and catch up otherwise.

I’m wondering if I’d like to sit down and have a beer with Rabbit.

This book also makes me wonder about my own life, mistakes, relationships with women and family, career and all the difficulties experienced �� but also finding those wee nuggets of pleasure that pop-up from time to time.

5 Stars - of course.