Of the Ages

I learned this morning that John Updike died yesterday.

My first exposure to Updike's writing was in The New Yorker. I began reading my high school library's copy of the magazine when I was a senior in high school. Still today I can remember sitting on the unforgiving, denim-worn wooden chairs in the magazine nook of the library and reading one of the many short stories Updike published in The New Yorker. I liked the story so much that I went to Oz, a local magazine shop, and bought the issue. It was then, because of Updike, that I became a regular reader of The New Yorker. After scanning the table of contents and seeing his name as the author of a short story, a book review, a Talk of the Town column—it happened several times a year—I knew it would be a good issue. I looked forward to those issues.

And now another great American author has left us. We bid you farewell, Mr. Updike, and may you rest in peace.

Another article on Updike.