The Complete Henry Bech

Never as big as Rabbit, but a genial antihero in his own right, Henry Bech is John Updike's fictional alter ego, a Jewish writer with a weakness for women and literary awards. Now, three bestselling collections of Bech stories are gathered in one volume, under the title The Complete Henry Bech. Book-ended with a helpful introduction by Malcolm Bradbury and a new story, ""His Oeuvre,"" the hefty Everyman's Library compendium is a monument to Updike's lighter moments. ( Mar. 27)