There’s a little ‘Rabbit’ in all of them

John Updike’s novels are not traditionally illuminated -- or inspired -- by breaking news. But as he spoke Sunday about his newest work, the author couldn’t help but point out the parallels between “Terrorist” and the arrest of 17 alleged terrorists in Canada the day before. In the book and real life, groups planned to carry out deadly attacks with 3 tons of ammonium nitrate, more than the amount Timothy McVeigh used to blow up the federal building in Oklahoma City.

Although Updike’s latest title is a marked departure for him, the link between his new book and his older works -- such as the “Rabbit” novels -- is that both condemn American culture as spiritually empty and obsessed with consumption. As he began a national publicity tour for “Terrorist,” the award-winning author, 74, spoke about the novel, terrorism and his future plans.

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Question: What do you think of the coincidence between your novel’s plot line and the weekend arrest of 17 alleged terrorists in Canada?

Answer: That is amazing, but obviously I can take no credit for it since the book was wrapped up months ago. The idea of there being some home-grown terrorists is certainly in the air, and what strikes me is that these people in Toronto were freelance. They apparently didn’t have any Al Qaeda connections, they just had something they wanted to do, and that’s a little like the situation in my book.

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Question: How did you decide on this topic and setting?

Answer: Like everybody else I was impressed, struck, appalled by 9/11, which is approaching a five-year anniversary. I think the first title that I gave this novel was “Land of Fear,” referring to the fact that we all now go through these security precautions at the airport.... We are a more fearful country, slightly less free.

But the notion of a protagonist who sees devils everywhere trying to deprive him of his religious faith, I think, predated the whole 9/11 thing. It was with me for a while, the notion of there being a seminary student who saw the world as a bunch of devils trying to seduce him away from God, so I just put that into an Islamic context.

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Question: We hear a lot about the need to understand the Muslim world better. How can literature help us do this, as opposed to nonfiction or political dialogue?

Answer: My book is certainly an attempt to enter the mind and spirit of a terrorist. But I’m not sure that understanding by itself is going to ease away the conflicts, because the conflicts are real. Insofar as we can empathize and look at our society through Islamic eyes, we’ll be that much wiser and more likely perhaps to defend ourselves, protect ourselves. It was kind of a leap in the dark for me, but to show how one American boy could embrace Islam to the extent he’s willing to give his life was something I could handle and make real enough.

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Question: Do you sympathize with the main character’s disgust with American culture?

Answer: These people [critics] are not blind.... But it’s not all you can say about it, either. I can’t present any existing alternatives to the American Constitution and the American lifestyle. The decision long ago was to do away with kings and aristocrats, and that gift of freedom is still very intact and precious. So the fact that most people eat too many cheeseburgers and listen to pop music whose lyrics I can’t understand -- this is a criticism but not perhaps an ultimately damning criticism.

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Question: Some of the reviews of “Terrorist” have not been kind. Does this disturb you?

Answer: I haven’t seen them. They might bother me. But you take your chances in this trade, and you’re never reviewed 100% favorably. A book that doesn’t offend somebody probably isn’t trying to do its work.

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Question: What are some of your future projects -- will you keep writing?

Answer: I’m fortunate in that I’m self-employed, so there’s nobody to tell me to retire. Being a book reviewer keeps me in the New Yorker to a pleasing degree.... But I wouldn’t know what to do with my mornings if I wasn’t writing. I’ve been going up to my office, wherever it was, for 50 years plus and I’ll think about retirement when there’s no longer any market for what I do. I would hope this [“Terrorist”] won’t be the last novel.

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John Updike will take part in the Writers’ Bloc series at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills. See www.writersblocpresents.com for more information.