John Updike visited the University of Houston campus two days after celebrating his 53rd birthday in March 1985, as part of the University’s Writers in Society series, and again in February 2006 as an Inprint participant at age 73.
Updike died of lung cancer Tuesday at the age of 76.
Ted Estess, dean emeritus and English professor in The Honors College, remembers Updike’s last visit well.
‘He was brought here by the creative writing program,’ Estess said. ‘It was a year in which the program was being celebrated. He appeared in the Honors commons and gave a talk on ‘Seven Observations about the Process of Writing’, and spoke to a packed room.’
After his time at the podium, Updike did not hesitate to spare time to interact with students and faculty despite his star status, Estees said.
‘John Updike was a man of impeccable manners. He was immensely gracious.’ He was patient with questions; he was patient in signing books.’ He was a person of good cheer,’ he said.
Updike brought impressive status to the readings and star-struck those who were there to witness the Pulitzer Prize winner speak, Estess said.
‘Every time you could be in the presence of John Updike you were excited,’ Estess said.
‘He was one of our celebrity writers in America, and since he spoke intelligently, people were deeply impressed.’ This was true of the creative writing students and the general public.’
Updike achieved fame through his four-part ‘Rabbit’ series of novels, which narrated the small-town life of Harry Armstrong.
‘In those books Updike is commenting on life in America,’ Estess said. ‘He certainly was interested in and enjoyed human fallibility or the way in which we fail.’ He was not moralistic at all.’ He wrote about human beings as we are.’
Updike was born March 18, 1932 in Shilling, Pa. and attended Harvard University on full scholarship and worked as president of the humor magazine The Harvard Lampoon before graduating summa cum laude in 1954.
Updike would go on to write more than 30 novels and win numerous awards, including two Pulitzer Prizes.
‘He was our Charles Dickens,’ Estess said.’ ‘If you want to know about England (in) the 19th century, a good place to start is Charles Dickens.’ If you want to know about America in the second half of the 20th century then you read John Updike.’
Updike is survived by his children and his second wife, Martha.
