Quote by John Updike (1932-2009)

• Critics are like pigs at the pastry cart.

• We're past the age of heroes and hero kings. … Most of our lives are basically mundane and dull, and it's up to the writer to find ways to make them interesting.

• America is a vast conspiracy to make you happy.

• You can never get the smell of smoke out. Like the smell of failure in life.

• Life is like an overlong drama through which we sit being nagged by the vague memories of having read the reviews.

• Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right, or better.