e.g., Rufus, might be interested in knowing that he’s going to give the 2008 Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities.
In “The Clarity of Things,” Updike will examine the connection between America’s art and its ideas by posing the question, “What is American about American art?” Updike’s lecture will complement the Endowment’s new Picturing America initiative (PicturingAmerica.neh.gov), which brings great American art to schools and public libraries to help citizens learn about the people, events, and ideas that have shaped our nation’s history.
More details here.
Should be interesting. Updike has been writing reviews of gallery shows for years now at the NYRB, so he’s well schooled, and he was actually a sketch artist before he was a writer, so he’s skilled. Nor is he sentimental, and who knows how many of his pals have been killed? He could actually just get up there and read one novel, Seek My Face since it’s one long monologue about art. Let’s hope not, as it wasn’t his best work. Powerline (a great blog) has a nice write up of Updike here.
Hey, Gentlemen…Catholic writer Jon Hassler just died today. Perhaps worth a Korrektiv nod?
Haiku in his honor:
Jon Hassler was a
Catholic writer, I’ve heard tell.
I’ve not read him yet.