Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Teaser Tuesday Two-fer



"He thought intelligence a function of the individual and that groups of persons were intelligent in inverse proportion to their size.  Nations had the brain of an amoeba whereas a committee approached the condition of a trainable moron."

-- Bech: A Book by John Updike.

This is a novel-in-short-stories about a fictitious American novelist named Henry Bech. It is the first of a trilogy, followed by Bech is Back and Bech at Bay
This has renewed my faith in Updike after my somewhat disappointing run in with The Witches . . . and The Widows of Eastwick a few months back. 





"In most places and at most times, appreciation of savor in food has usually gone cheek by jowl with appreciation of beauty in women. The pleasures of the table have a natural affinity with the pleasures of the bed."

-- The Food of France by Waverley Root.  Well said, Waverly. 

While not given much to anecdote, Root does occasionally offer this kind of amusing generalization in his comprehensive account of the regional foods of France.

This is on my French Connections list and is the first book I am reading for the Foodie's Reading Challenge. It will also count as one of my Chunkster Challenge books, coming in at exactly 450 pages, plus an introduction.


Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event.



8 comments :

  1. the Updike excerpt is amusing. I've never read any books by him, but this raises my curiosity.

    Lee
    Tossing It Out

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  2. The teaser from Bech I very funny and fascinating. I like it and I love the cover of the book, very amusing!

    I think Waverly's comment is very astute. And both are a celebration of life.

    These are two great teasers! I have read several of Updike's books and some I liked, some I didn't. I'm interested in the Bech trilogy and am going to look them up. Thanks!
    ~ Amy

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  3. GT: Thanks for leaving your teaser link!

    Lee: I have my ups and downs with Updike, but this Bech book is terrific! It reminds me why to read "good" literature.

    Amy: The Bech teaser made me laugh. Like you, I've had mixed experiences with Updike. But I loved Bech and am looking forward to the other two in the trilogy.

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  4. I think they're both great teasers. They both made me stop and think. Here's my teaser from The Arrow Chest.

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  5. Hah! I love the Updike teaser about committees! I've plenty of experience with them here in university-land.

    Here's my TT: http://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/2011/02/teaser-tuesdays_22.html

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  6. HA. I love the Updike quote. I shall think of committees as trainable morons from here on.

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  7. Lady Q: Thanks for leaving your teaser link!

    Bev & Louise: That committee quote is hilarious. The whole idea is funny, but the committee punch line really brings it home.

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