John Updike (1932-2009)

It’s yesterday’s news, but a sad farewell to John Updike, of whose Rabbit Angstrom books I found to be brilliant. So brilliant that they came in Runner-Up in the Great WIBR Championship Tournament.

I didn’t know him. I didn’t read a lot of his writing outside of the Rabbit books. I wasn’t an expert – can’t anoint him the greatest of all time or any other hullabaloo. I won’t blather on with some ham-handed tribute because, let’s face it, I’m unqualified to do that and hundreds of others will tackle the task with much more insight.

But I do think he was great. And anytime a great writer passes away – whether you care for his or her writing or not – the literary world and those who follow it understand that an amazing amount of creativity and spirit has passed away as well.

See also: What I’ve Been Reading – April 2007 and an offshoot of that article, my Corey Vilhauer Book of the Month for May 2007.