The death of John Updike this week marks the loss of one of the true giants of contemporary American literature. Which of Updike's many novels, stories and essays has had the greatest and most lasting impact on you?
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John Updike
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Posted 1 year ago #
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In 1992, when I was directing the writing program at George Mason, I persuaded a reluctant John Updike to be the special speaker for the year. When he finally agreed to come ("I guess for that kind of money I can't refuse"), however, he proved the most complaisant of visitors, happily meeting with MFA students in fiction, chatting with faculty in the lounge, sitting through a dinner with folks from the bookstore (who provided the funds), reading two poems plus one of his most memorable stories ("A Sense of Shelter" from _Pigeon Feathers),_ and signing what must have been several hundred books for the audience. His inscriptions in my copies are often about the design of the volumes, a topic we talked about in general on the drive in from the airport. His dedication in my daughter's copy of _A Child's Calendar_ explains a mix-up in the illustrations and at the same time strikes one of his pitch perfect notes: “for Rachel Lathbury / with warm regards / from the author / John Updike / on the pictures: / June should be August / September should be November / and vice versa / Isn’t that silly?”
Posted 1 year ago #
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