You will notice the expression "in his prime". John Updike was not then among the dead people. And nobody was forcing anyone to read his books. I don't think he

You will notice the expression "in his prime". John Updike was not then among the dead people. And nobody was forcing anyone to read his books. I don't think he was on anyone's curriculum in those days. Having said that, you are on to something: literary culture has definitely undergone some fragmentation. Time can't run a book review and set the agenda for book buyers across the country--anyway, I think they can't.