Reading John Updike's Self-Consciousness

Reading John Updike's Self-Consciousness

Something at the beginning of the book reminded of a blog post I wrote on Goodreads once. Updike describes someone asking him about writing his biography. But that idea seemed "repulsive" to Mr. Updike. Lots of writers have biographers, why not him? If he doesn't want one, that is fine too, but repulsive? That is too much.

Here is the blog post where I describe meeting Mr. Updike once:

https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...

I will say one thing about John Updike: That dude really knows how to write a sentence.

I loved a quote at the end of the book:

". . . it appeared to me that when we try in good faith to believe in materialism, in the exclusive reality of the physical, we are asking our selves to step aside; we are disavowing the very realm where we exist and where all things precious are kept--the realm of emotion and conscience, of memory and intention and sensation."

"I have the persistent sensation, in my life and art, that I am just beginning."