Ghost Writer remains on my shelf, and will be read, and I bought it due to your blog. Congratulations on your anniversary, books like Roth’s are what we do it for aren’t they really?

Regarding a project, I’d be fascinated to read your take on the Cairo trilogy, Bolano smacks to much of the presently fashionable for me, I figure I’m going to give him a decade or two and see how things stand then, assuming I’m standing myself to see (which hopefully I should be).

I’d also be very interested in the Rabbit series, regarding Dance, they’re masterpieces, but to be honest you could always wait until I finish and then see if my take on the whole series tempts you to give them a go. As you note at the outset here, these longer series can be a bit daunting and it is nice to have the assurance, as with Zuckerman, that the destination is worth the journey. Kevin of course tells me the second half of Dance is the best bit, which given how good the first half means that if you don’t read it this year or next, you still should put it on your tbr pile for the longer term.

Rabbit Run was published in 1960, so I see appeal in a half-centenary Rabbit project. Also, since each volume followed at 10 year intervals, Updike meant it as an examination of the (north-east) U.S. in the late 20th century. He wrote the intro to the Everyman’s Library volume you have — if you haven’t read the essay, it is worth reading while you consider the project. Given all that is changing in America right now, it might be timely (the auto dealership is Toyota, after all).

And if you wanted to extend it a bit, you could add in the Beck books — they are both more international and more metropolitan than Rabbit. Going in a different direction, you could consider Byatt’s tetralogy (starting with Virgin in the Garden) which looks at Great Britain in roughly the same time period. I’m not keen on Byatt’s recent work, but I very much liked those four books.

Bolano’s beyond me, so no advice there.

And you ask a good question. While I have considered what larger project to embark upon, I haven’t thought of it in those terms yet — I think I should!

I’ll take any recommendations!

Max has almost convinced me to read Dance to the Music of Time sooner than later, but I’m not sure that’s going to be it. I do have the Rabbit Angstrom books on the shelf. I also have The Cairo Trilogy. And there’s Proust, the one that feels the most ambitious and also the most intimidating. Not sure I’m up for it quite yet. Especially since I’m currently reading Moby-Dick and rereading Ulysses (thanks to DGR). Seems like tackling Proust at about the same time could be a bit overwhelming.

On a different track, I have the goal to read all of Bolano’s books that are available in English (and most will be in the next year). I have the manuscripts of Monsieur Pain and Antwerp, so I’ve got a head start. I’m also in touch with Chris Andrews (translator) for an interview that will go with this project. But while that is a good project, most of his work is incredibly short and takes only a few hours to read. Reading all of it, then, especially since I’ve already read 2666 doesn’t sound that substantial. Plus, I’m looking for a project that has been looming in the background for sometime but that I haven’t had the courage to take.

Like I said, all recommendations are welcome! I’m in need of something similar in scope and ambition as Zuckerman, preferably a series of related books that build on each other.