Booklovers across the world mourned the death of contemporary American writer John Updike on Tuesday, January 27. The author, who counted the award-winning Rabbit series among his bestsellers, died following a battle with lung cancer.
Born in Reading, Pennsylvania, and raised in nearby Shillington, Updike graduated from Harvard University on a full scholarship, where he edited the Harvard Lampoon. Updike, who often set his stories in suburban, postwar America, was praised from the start for his writing, which appeared regularly in The New Yorker. Frequenting bestseller lists and winning numerous writing awards (two Pulitzers, two National Book Awards, and a PEN/Faulkner Award among them), the writer showcased his talent across a variety of writing styles—novels, short stories, poems, criticism, essays, and memoir.
In remembrance of this literary great, listen to a podcast from his visit to Parkway Central in June 2007 or check out one of our many books penned by him.
Which of Updike’s books have you read? What will you remember best about his work?
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