Physics in Perspective· 2026Q2
A Writer’s Universe: John Updike on Physics and Astronomy
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- Q2SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
This paper critically surveys John Updike's science-related writings (1950s-2009), focusing on physics, astronomy, and cosmology, and situates them within the history of science.
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Key points
- Analyzes John Updike's writings from the mid-1950s to 2009.
- Focuses on themes of physics, astronomy, and cosmology.
- Examines Updike's information sources in popular science literature.
- Situates Updike's science-related writings within the history of science context.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Abstract 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.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Physics in Perspective, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Literature and Literary Theory
Literature and Literary TheoryArts and Humanities