When we speak about accomplished authors of the 20th century often times the name John Updike goes unsaid. John Updike is a well decorated author he has received multiple awards and recognition for his literary work. Outside of literature his humanitarian work has gotten him praise from even Presidents such as George H.W Bush, Senior and Junior. I think it's fair for me to do John Updike some justice and take a second to spread some insight on the life and death of one of the most accomplished authors of the recent century. .
John Updike was born on March 18th 1932 in Reading, Pennsylvania. He spend the early portion of his life in the town of Shillington a small town near Reading. His father was an educator and spent his days teaching science. At the age of 13 his family moved to a stone house on an 80 acre farm. At this early age John indulge himself in books of popular fiction such and humor and mystery novels. At this age he also showed interest in fine art his mother was a great encouragement and pushed him to pressure art and literature. He did extremely well in school and was elected president and co-valedictorian of his graduating class. After high school he received a tuition scholarship to attend the prestigious Harvard University. He graduated from Harvard summa cum laude in 1954. While in college he married his first wife Mary E. Pennington and after graduation they moved to England where John art at Oxford's Ruskin School of Drawing and fine art. While in England John's first daughter was born. After his exploration of England, He and his now family of 3 moved back to the United States and settled in Manhattan, New York City. After the birth of his son he and his family moved to Ipswich, Massachusetts where he settled down and started to focus on his novels. .
Updike received a national book award for his novel the centaur it was inspired by his childhood growing up in Pennsylvania.