The Li(n)e Between Truth and Invention in Fiction

In the recent biography Updike
by Adam Begley, we learn that the celebrated writer ransacked his entire life
for story material. He did it religiously, assiduously. In fact, he didn’t invent
anything, he merely mined his own life. I found this both a surprise and a
letdown. To read Updike’s stories however, the remarkable observation and
acuity with detail perhaps make up for a deficiency in