‘Rabbit’ remembered

As one American gained ascendancy in the global consciousness, another quietly left the stage of the world. He was a man who wore several hats — novelist, short story writer, poet, literary and art critic.

While several of the present generation may not have read his works in much detail, the Pulitzer prize-winning American wordsmith John Updike — who passed away on January 27 this week — has his own legion of fan followers across the globe. 

Saumya Balsari, author of The Cambridge Culture Club, says, “Updike was a textbook hero for writers, a Colossus with his breadth of intellect, unerring observation, gentle humour and memorable phrase. I admired his fearlessness with Couples, marvelled at the word acrobatics in the Rabbit series, read of his psoriasis, childhood stammering and problems of self-image, counted the novels and short stories and wondered, ‘How does he do it?’”

As author Shobhaa De puts it, “Updike had a seminal influence over a generation of writers who grew up following the adventures of Rabbit and marvelling over Updike’s unique prose He was one writer who didn’t stray too far from the turf he knew — and loved — the best.  This was his greatest strength and legacy — stick to known territory.
Explore and exploit that world. Draw readers into it. That needs conviction and courage. Updike had both.”