3. Menand rightly notes that Begley's books is very much "first wife’s book" but doesn't see how this hampers Begley's literary judgment.
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Replying to @HeerJeet
4. Implicit in Begley is belief Mary (U's 1st wife) was his true muse, inspired his best work & marriage to Martha (2nd wife) hampered U
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Replying to @HeerJeet
5. Because of his framework of U as autobiographical writer & hostility towards Martha, Begley dismisses huge chunk of U's work.
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Replying to @HeerJeet
6. On larger point, agree with Menand about Updike's "cultural project" but would add that religion as important to project as modernism.
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Replying to @HeerJeet
7. Lutheranism, Updike's primordial faith, has strong emphasis on liturgy. Updike's ecstatic prose was form of liturgy.
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Replying to @HeerJeet
8. Menand: "Contrariness is not a politics" Very true, and not just for Updike. Contrariness is actually an anti-politics.
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Replying to @HeerJeet
9. Updike's pro-Vietnam War stuff was remarkably silly. Notable mainly as example of how smart guy can contort himself for dubious cause.
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Replying to @HeerJeet
10. I'm more upset at Begley's portrayal of Martha Updike than other reviewers. Am I wrong on this?
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Replying to @HeerJeet
11. Begley's Martha Updike portrait combines 2 or 3 pernicious gender stereotypes: predatory home wrecker, evil step-mom, nagging wife.
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@WillWargo Yes, I think that's the implicit message of Begley's book: Mary was Muse, Martha started U's long decline. Very simplistic.
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