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The Maples Stories Audiobook
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(3.97) - 260 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Collected together for the first time on audio, these eighteen classic stories from across John Updike's career form a luminous chronicle of the life and times of one marriage in all its rich emotional complexity. In 1956, Updike published a story, "Snowing in Greenwich Village," about a young couple, Joan and Richard Maple, at the beginning of their marriage. Over the next two decades, he returned to these characters again and again, tracing their years together raising children, finding moments of intermittent happiness, and facing the heartbreak of infidelity and estrangement.
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"The setting of the stories are visually exquisite. I liked the references to painters.The changes in story format were interesting. The one told as a stream of consciousness worked well, in my opinion.I only wished that musically the stories would be as interesting. "
— Ke (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“A masterpiece…Updike owns a rare verbal genius, a gifted intelligence and a sense of tragedy made bearable by wit.”
— Time, praise for Rabbit Redux -
“The power of the novel comes from a sense, not absolutely unworthy of Thomas Hardy, that the universe hangs over our fates like a great sullen hopeless sky. There is real pain in the book, and a touch of awe.”
— Esquire, praise for Rabbit, Run -
“Brilliant and poignant…By his compassion, clarity of insight, and crystal-bright prose, [John Updike] makes Rabbit’s sorrow his and our own.”
— The Washington Post, praise for Rabbit, Run -
“An awesomely accomplished writer…For God’s sake, read the book. It may even—will probably change your life.”
— Anatole Broyard, praise for Rabbit Redux
The Maples Stories Listener Reviews
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" I like Updike. I like his phrasing and his way of serving up bits of his characters. "
— B, 10/10/2013 -
" I'm a fan of Updike's work--I really think he's an interesting writer. However, if you are looking for an uplifting portrayal of marriage and relationships--this is anything but. Plus, he's a bit of a misogynist. "
— Hilary, 8/23/2013 -
" I love John Updike's writing, I just wish he would write about something other than unhappiness and infidelity. "
— Kassie, 8/19/2013 -
" I don't usually read short stories, but I was so attracted by the wonderful Nicholson portrait on the cover. The book more than lived up to its cover. At the end I was not ready to let the Maples go. "
— Linda, 8/15/2013 -
" Found it depressing. This is the first Updike I've read. Are they all depressing? "
— Krista, 11/29/2012 -
" One of my favorites. Painful. "
— Dina, 9/28/2012 -
" I really don't know why anyone would bother writing about such unsympathetic characters. For years. "
— Kathleen, 9/19/2011 -
" As much as I love John Updike (especially the Rabbit books and "Roger's Version"), these stories strike me a as a little thin. I think the novel was his true metier. "
— Susan, 3/9/2011 -
" When you're reading a book while riding a bus and miss not one, not two, but three of your stops because you're too engrossed in the book, then you have to admit to yourself it's a pretty good book,even if you can't stand either one of the two main characters. "
— Kevin, 3/6/2011 -
" Found it depressing. This is the first Updike I've read. Are they all depressing? "
— Krista, 1/12/2011 -
" I love John Updike's writing, I just wish he would write about something other than unhappiness and infidelity. "
— Kassie, 12/5/2010 -
" I'm a fan of Updike's work--I really think he's an interesting writer. However, if you are looking for an uplifting portrayal of marriage and relationships--this is anything but. Plus, he's a bit of a misogynist. "
— Hilary, 12/17/2009 -
" I don't usually read short stories, but I was so attracted by the wonderful Nicholson portrait on the cover. The book more than lived up to its cover. At the end I was not ready to let the Maples go. "
— Linda, 8/12/2009
About John Updike
John Updike (1932–2009) was the author of more than sixty books, including collections of short stories, poems, and criticism. His novels have been honored with two Pulitzer Prize Awards, the National Book Award, and the Howells Medal of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Hugging the Shore, a collection of essays and reviews, received the National Book Critics Circle Award for criticism.
About Peter Van Norden
Peter Van Norden has been acting on stage, film, and television for over thirty years. He has appeared on Broadway, off Broadway, and with most of the regional reps across the country. His film and television credits include roles in Police Academy 2 and The Accused (opposite Jodie Foster), as well as the role of Ralph Brentner in Stephen King’s eight-hour miniseries The Stand. He currently lives in Los Angeles.