Well this one has suddenly turned into a special one for me. If you were on the last discussion, you may have heard me allude to the fact that Updike was a friend of my grandfather and grandmother, and in fact was at my parent’s wedding. Unfortunately, my grandmother unexpectedly passed away peacefully yesterday, and while I do not think this is his best work by far, it is surreal to have been having reading him at the same time as this occurred. She was the catalyst for my love of reading, and had of course read all of his books (and was, in addition to her house and husband, portrayed in some of his books). On a more golf-related note, I played on of my first rounds at one of the courses Updike frequented before he joined Myopia, Candlewood Golf Course. It recently closed, and on a trip up to Ipswich, MA this past Christmas (which was the last time I saw my grandmother) I noticed that it is now defunct, and completely grown over. It potentially could have been the most “strapped” course in the state, with single-mower fairways, carts that died on nearly every hole, and a second green with a slope so severe you literally could not hold it unless it plugged. Im not really sure why I am writing this, or if anyone will find it interesting, but I have come to discover this book means a lot to me, even though I enjoy his other work much more from a literary point of view. Hope you all had a great holiday, and I am very much looking forward to the discussion. If you are looking for a short article on Updike’s place on the North Shore of Boston, check out the below, which happens to have a few quotes from my grandmother, M.L. Scudder. (open in incognito mode to get around the paywall).
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