“As a lit­er­ary jour­nal­ist, John Updike has that single ines­timable virtue: having read him once, you admit to your­self, almost with a sigh, that you will have to read every­thing he writes. At a time when the reviewer’s role has devolved to that of a canary in a pre-​war coalmine, Updike reminds you that the review can, in its junior way, be some­thing of a work of art, or at least a worthy vehi­cle for the play of ideas, feel­ing, and wit.”

—Martin Amis, from his review of Updike’s Picked-​Up Pieces.

UPDATE (1/28): Wyatt Mason has more.