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Couples
Couples | John Updike
17 posts | 7 read | 4 to read
One of the signature novels of the American 1960s, Couples is a book that, when it debuted, scandalized the public with prose pictures of the way people live, and that today provides an engrossing epitaph to the short, happy life of the post-Pill paradise. It chronicles the interactions of ten young married couples in a seaside New England community who make a cult of sex and of themselves. The group of acquaintances form a magical circle, complete with ritualistic games, religious substitutions, a priest (Freddy Thorne), and a scapegoat (Piet Hanema). As with most American utopias, this one's existence is brief and unsustainable, but the imaginative quest that inspires its creation is eternal.
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RamsFan1963
Couples | John Updike
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1. Bing Crosby & Bob Hope in the Road movies

2. Han Solo & Chewbacca. I think they're a better couple than Han & Leia.

3. Hermione & Ron from Harry Potter.

#TLT @dabbe

TheBookHippie I agree with number two 💯💯💯 1y
dabbe 1. They were awesome together! #nostalgia
2. 🤣🤣🤣 #tootrue
3. They were so adorable in the last movie. #thatkiss
Thanks for playing! 💜🧡💜
1y
43 likes2 comments
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TheBookgeekFrau
Couples | John Updike
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1. Beauty and The Beast

2. Danny and Sandy - Grease

3. Bill and Ted - Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure

#TLT
@dabbe Thanks for the tag!

dabbe 1. “Tale as old as time ...“ 😍
2. GREASE! How could I forget? I was in 7th grade when that came out (ONJ is my favorite singer; I'm still not over her death!) I must have watched this movie thousands of times! 🤩
3. Another awesome #bromance!
Thanks for playing! 💜🧡💜
1y
TheBookgeekFrau @dabbe I had the entirety of Grease memorized I watched it so much! I was in 3rd or 4th grade when it came out and us girls all wanted to be Sandy 😂 Good times! 💕💕 1y
dabbe @TheBookgeekFrau “Go greased ⚡️ ...“ 🧡🤣💜 1y
23 likes5 comments
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Bigwig
Couples | John Updike
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Pickpick

Here are the psychosexual intrigues of a dozen couples in an early 1960s Massachusetts town, laid bare and sharply probed: fun and games, a church for the churchless, adultery, gossip, and suburban dinner parties, amen. Sacrilege and expiation are inevitable. This milieu may be long gone but Updike‘s magic pen brings this fumbling, witty, yearning bunch to life. The story is as melancholy (and salty) as the coastal marshes surrounding the town.

9 likes1 stack add
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eeclayton
Couples | John Updike
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Mehso-so

In a fictional town in 1960s' America, 10 upper-middle class couples entertain themselves with cocktail parties, cruel games, gossip and sex. In the "post-pill paradise", some characters freely sleep around or swap partners, others hesitate, and yet others regard themselves morally above everyone else.
The prose is superbly written, but I couldn't sympathize with any of the characters. Still, I loved the final part and I will read more Updike.

eeclayton Also, what a hideous cover #uglycover #popsugar2018 6y
KateFulfordAuthor #beautifulcover? If so, may I point you to my People‘s Book Prize nominated debut? Sassy female narrative, laugh out dialogue and a pacy plot. Check the link in the bio for 2 free chapters, reviews and more. 6y
Centique That might be the worst cover ever 😱 Also that comment above is so random I wonder if it‘s auto-generated? 6y
eeclayton @Centique Agreed. Definitely the worst I've ever seen! 6y
8 likes4 comments
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BookwormAHN
Couples | John Updike
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💙 Arwen & Aragorn
💙 Bella & Edward
💙 Westley & Buttercup
💙 Stephen & Tabitha King
#manicmonday @JoScho

JoScho ❤️👫❤️ 6y
80 likes1 comment
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Thndrstd
Couples | John Updike
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1. Petruchio and Katherina, The Taming of the Shrew. I always read it as playing with cultural mores by both rather than misogyny. I could be wrong.
2. Romeo and Juliet. The older I get, the more it seems like young self-absorption and lust.
3. Mummy and Daddy Pig, Peppa Pig. I have a 3-year-old who loves the show but their relationship is full of love and humor
4. The Obamas.

#manicmonday @JoScho

JoScho Mummy and Daddy Pig! 💕💕💕 6y
35 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Laughterhp
Couples | John Updike
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1. Elena and Damon
2. I have no idea!! 😬😬
3. Rory and Jess
4. Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard

#manicmonday

wanderinglynn Ooh, Elena & Damon, great choice! 6y
JoScho Kristen and Dax in that Africa video! 💕 6y
36 likes2 comments
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LittleBowBook
Couples | John Updike
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1) Feyre & Rhys (A Court of Thorns and Roses)
2) Edward & Bella (Twilight)
3) Jane & Michael (Jane The Virgin)
4) Barack & Michelle Obama #manicmonday @JoScho

JoScho 💕💑💕 6y
11 likes1 comment
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Chrissyreadit
Couples | John Updike
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1. Elizabeth and Nathan, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, Betsy and Joe, Anne and Gilbert, Jo and Professor Bhaer, Harry and Jenny.
2. The Dursleys
3. Veronica Mars and Logan Echols, Luke and Laura, Han and Leia.
4. Barack and Michelle, Kristen Bell and Dax Shephard.
#ManicMonday

Stacy_31 The Dursleys! Excellent choice. I also love The Obama‘s. Now that I‘m reading everyone else‘s answers, I‘m rethinking my own. 😂😂 6y
wanderinglynn Oh I forgot about Veronica & Logan - I love them together! ❤️ 6y
JoScho The video when Kristen and Dax lip sync Africa is the best! 6y
See All 6 Comments
Suzze I chose Barack and Michelle, but Dax and Kristen were my other choice! 6y
Chrissyreadit @Stacy_31 @wanderinglynn @Suzze @JoScho I ❤️that you all love them too! 6y
Libby1 Luke and Laura! Ha ha! Haven‘t thought about that in a long time! 6y
76 likes6 comments
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eeclayton
Couples | John Updike
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“We all rather live under wraps, don‘t we? We hardly ever really open ourselves to the loveliness around us. Yet there it is, every day, going on and on, whether we look at it or not. Such a splendid waste, isn‘t it?”

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FantasyChick
Couples | John Updike
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Ohhhhhh this is going to be hard:

1. Cat & Bones ❤
2. Romeo & Juliet
3. Monica & Chandler/Luke & Lorelai I can't choose
4. Ryan Reynolds & Blake Lively #relationshipgoals
My choices will change later in the day. They always do 😂😂

#manicmonday @JoScho

jwashreads I LOVE CAT AND BONES!! 6y
JoScho 💖💑💖 6y
37 likes2 comments
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CrowCAH
Couples | John Updike
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#AprilBookishMadness #CoupleYouLove

Another no surprise here: Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy! 😍

Ddzmini I wish they would make a sequel with them 😍 7y
Sophoclessweetheart 😍😍😍😍 7y
sprainedbrain Hi, Cynthia! Speaking of Darcy and Elizabeth, did you receive your match email for #JaneAustenSwap? We hadn‘t heard from you, and since this whole swap was kinda inspired by you, I thought I should check. 😂 7y
CrowCAH @sprainedbrain ah, sorry Jenni, I forgot to reply to the email. Just sent you a reply. 7y
94 likes5 comments
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Tjackson
Couples | John Updike
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Reading my first John Updike book. When I downloaded it, I did not realize it is nearly 600 pages! I am about 100 pages in and I am getting the 10 couples all confused. I will not bail! I will not bail! I will not bail!

Sheryl63 He's got some great ones. My favorites are his Rabbit Run series that he wrote so long ago I'm embarrassed to say I was in high school when I read them. I'm a dinosaur! 7y
41 likes1 comment
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Tjackson
Couples | John Updike
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Good point!

55 likes1 stack add
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Tjackson
Couples | John Updike
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Reading my first John Updike book - we shall see how this goes.

49 likes1 stack add
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beckygracelea
Couples | John Updike
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First John Updike read. I can be such a sucker for suburban tales.

6 likes1 stack add