Odd Jobs: Essays and Criticism

by John Updike

John Updike's fourth collection of nonfiction is his biggest and richest yet. The years have brought to him an increasing number of odd jobs, to which he has wittily responded. Here he contemplates our national monuments, the female body, the Fourth of July, the Gospel of Matthew, other writers, moralists, aspects of science, and more.

Genres: Essays, Criticism, Nonfiction, Literary Criticism, Books About Books, Literary Fiction, Literature

919 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

John Hoyer Updike was an American writer. Updike's most famous work is his Rabbit series (Rabbit, Run; Rabbit Redux; Rabbit Is Rich; Rabbit At Rest; and Rabbit Remembered). Rabbit is Rich and Rabbit at Rest both won Pulitzer Prizes for Updike. Describing his subject as "the American small town, Protestant middle class," Updike is well known for his careful craftsmanship and prolific writing, having published 22 novels and more than a dozen short story collections as well as poetry, literary criticism and children's books. Hundreds of his stories, reviews, and poems have appeared in The New Yorker since the 1950s. His works often explore sex, faith, and death, and their inter-relationships.

He died of lung cancer at age 76.

Reviews

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another diverse collection of essays by Updike. He writes with faculty and felicity. I've read several of his essay collections. They are not cover to cover reads, but should be picked up periodically and looked through, with an essay or two to read. Then best to pick it up again and look for other essays that might be of interest. I would say that no particular essay stands out, except for perhaps the essays on John Cheever. Best read and enjoyed in small doses.

[Jessica Kok · Rating 4 out of 5]

I checked out this hefty number completely on a whim after seeing it shelved near a book of Poe's short stories. Updike's use of language and vast knowledge of a range of topics was both impressive and charming. I found myself becoming interested in some of the books he was reviewing even though I hadn't read them yet- they're on my list now! For me, this was an excellent introduction to his work.

[Hollis Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't actually planning to read this all the way through: I borrowed it from the library just to have a flick through it. However, I then came across Updike's comment in the introduction that only a ''chairbound agoraphobe'' would be able to read it cover-to-cover: well, that sounded like a challenge to me. This book really is a treasure-trove of great critical writing: Updike covers almost every subject you could think of (pop music, lecturing, feminism, film, TV, science, travel, etc etc.) and reviews an incredible number of contemporary writers. Almost every major writer in the world today gets a review in here and it all makes for a fascinating read.

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Surprisingly weak collection despite its bulk. Updike was incapable of writing inelegantly but his approach can seem odd: he watches the Goldie Hawn comedy ‘Overboard’ with the same bemusement as an anthropologist watching a tribal sacrifice.

[E. Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Articulate, knowledgeable, generous, witty.

[George Lai · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a long book, nearly a thousand pages long. After a week and about 200 pages, I felt it was rambling too much.

[Milt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quoth the Rabbit, "Eh, What's Updike?"

[Beth Shields-Szostak]

1st edition