American contemporary writer Philip Roth said in Updike's obituary that he was the greatest writer of the time, not only for his excellent novels but also for his outstanding literary criticism and prose, and, like Nathaniel Hawthorne in the 19th century, Updike is part of America's literary treasure.

Born in 1932, Updike is well-known for his prolific output. In his 50-year writing career, he published 25 novels and more than a dozen short story collections. He also wrote quite a number of essays, verses, travel notes and commentaries.

He began his literary career when writing for The New Yorker as a columnist. He wrote for the magazine for more than half a century. Unbeknownst to many, he was also a poet with his first poetry collection, The Carpentered Hen, published in 1958. The following year, his first novel, The Poorhouse Fair, was published.

Updike impressed his readers with his ability to depict scenes and the psychology of people, with a style that was both precise and intensive.

He wrote unremittingly until the last minute of the life. His last saga novel, The Widows of Eastwick, was published in October 2008 and a new collection of short stories, My Father's Tears, is scheduled to be published in June.

Updike highly praised the role of books and called on people to resist the Internet and return to printed books. In 2006, he delivered a passionate lecture on the protection of bookstores and printed works. "Bookstores are maybe my last lonely fort," he said in the speech.

Updike has also shown interest in Chinese literature. In 2005, The New Yorker published two book reviews by Updike, introducing two Chinese novels--My Life as Emperor by Su Tong and Big Breasts and Wide Hips by Mo Yan.

"His reviews of these two books may represent the puzzles of some Americans who have an open attitude to Eastern culture when they read China's contemporary works," said Wu Yang, a literary critic in China, in his blog.

Since the 1990s, interest in Updike has begun to blossom in China. Besides the Rabbit series, another short story collection called Licks of Love was also published in China. Many Chinese scholars believe that Updike's literary achievements deserve a Nobel Prize.

According to Lu Jiande, Deputy Director of the Institute of Foreign Literature at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Updike is a low-pitched writer. "He never expressed his political ideas or produced other stunts to attract the attention of others. This is why such an accomplished writer is not too popular to ordinary readers," Liu said in an article in the Shanghai-based Oriental Morning Post.