Origins & Early Life

John Hoyer Updike (March 18, 1932 – January 27, 2009) was an American novelist, poet, short-story writer, art critic, and literary critic. One of only four writers to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction more than once (the others being Booth Tarkington, William Faulkner, and Colson Whitehead), Updike published more than 20 novels, more than a dozen short-story collections, as well as poetry, art and literary criticism, and children's books during his career. Hundreds of his stories, reviews, and poems appeared in The New Yorker starting in 1954. He also wrote regularly for The New York Review of Books.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His most famous work is his "Rabbit" series (the novels Rabbit, Run; Rabbit Redux; Rabbit Is Rich; Rabbit at Rest; and the novella Rabbit Remembered), which chronicles the life of the middle-class everyman Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom over the course of several decades, from young adulthood to death. Both Rabbit Is Rich (1981) and Rabbit at Rest (1990) were awarded the Pulitzer Prize. Describing his subject as "the American small town, Protestant middle class", critics recognized his careful craftsmanship, his unique prose style, and his prolific output – a book a year on average. Updike populated...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abebe Bikila — Contemporary (Born in 1932) (1932): Ethiopian Olympic marathon champion, known for his barefoot victories in Rome and Tokyo.
• Alan Bean — Contemporary (Born in 1932) (1932): American astronaut, naval officer, and lunar explorer who walked on the Moon.
• Alvin Plantinga — Contemporary (Born in 1932) (1932): Leading American philosopher and theologian known for Reformed epistemology.
• Aage Bohr — Contemporary (Died in 2009) (2009): Pioneering Danish nuclear physicist, Nobel laureate for atomic structure theory.
• Al Martino — Contemporary (Died in 2009) (2009): Iconic Italian-American crooner, celebrated for standards and his role in The Godfather.
• Ali Akbar Khan — Contemporary (Died in 2009) (2009): Master sarod virtuoso who popularized Hindustani classical music in the West.
• Alexei Yagudin — Shared historical date (03-18 · Born) (1980): Pioneering Russian figure skater, celebrated for multiple World and Olympic titles.
• Bai Chongxi — Shared historical date (03-18 · Born) (1893): Prominent Chinese military general and KMT leader who ruled Guangxi province.
• Abbas the Great — Shared historical date (01-27 · Born) (1571): Fifth Safavid Shah of Iran, considered one of the greatest rulers in Iranian history.
• Balthasar Neumann — Shared historical date (01-27 · Born) (1687): Master architect of the High Baroque period in Central Europe.
• 1932 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1932
• March 18 (03-18) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on March 18
• 2009 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2009
• January 27 (01-27) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on January 27