John Updike: 1931-2009

John Updike was born on March 18, 1932 in Reading, PA. He lived on an isolated farm during his childhood and dreamed to escape from this farm.

Updike's mother had literary aspirations of her own, and therefore books were large part of Updike's early life.

After high school in Shillingtown, where his father worked as a science teacher, Updike attended Harvard and graduated with highest honors.

In 1954 he traveled to England, In England he met Catherine White, who offered him a staff position at the New Yorker Magazine. Within two years Updike decided to leave the New Yorker and to concentrate on his poetry and fiction.

Updike was awarded a Pulizer Prize in 1982 for "Rabbit Is Rich" and another Pulizer Prize for "Rabbit at Rest."

He lives (lived) in Beverly Farms, MA with is wife. Updike died of lung cancer on January 27, 2009.