A Writer’s Universe: John Updike on Physics and Astronomy

Among the many twentieth-century authors who have been inspired by developments in science, the American novelist and poet John Updike stands out as a fascinating example. Interested in science and its history, he was well informed by his reading of popular science books and journals. From where did he get his information? How did scientists respond to his literary works referring to science, if at all? This paper offers a critical survey of Updike’s science-related writings from the mid-1950s to his death in 2009. Rather than adopting a literary-critical approach, its focus is on the scientific aspects and in particular on those related to physics, astronomy, and cosmology. Although these themes were not essential to Updike’s literary works, neither were they merely ornamental. By locating his writings in the context of history of science they will be provided with an additional dimension not sufficiently appreciated by literary scholars.