John Updike, March 18, 1932-January 27, 2009

by Jane Ciabattari | Jan-27-2009

Sadly, sadly, we note that John Updike died this morning. He had been ill with lung cancer. His work has been honored for many decades by the National Book Critics Circle awards. He was a finalist for the 1978 NBCC award in fiction for “The Coup,” the 1981 award winner in fiction for"Rabbit Is Rich,” the 1983 NBCC award winner in criticism for “Hugging the Shore,” a 1986 NBCC fiction finalist for “Roger’s Version,” the 1990 NBCC fiction award winner for “Rabbit at Rest,” a 1991 NBCC criticism award winner for “Old Jobs,” and, most recently, a finalist for the NBCC award in criticism in 2005 for “Still Looking: Essays on American Art.” In “Due Considerations,” his sixth book of essays and criticism, published in 2007, he noted, “Without books, we might melt into the airwaves, and be just another set of blips.”

James Marcus on “Due Considerations” here.

Compiled NY Times reviews here.