Mailer and Updike

Probing American Culture as Writers and Celebrities

Authors

  • Bob Batchelor Kent State University Author

Keywords:

John Updike, literary rivalry, writer as celebrity, American culture, public vs. private persona, style and craftsmanship, literary criticism, postwar literature

Abstract

An exploration of Mailer and John Updike that demonstrates both the similarities and differences between the two writers, particularly as Mailer explored the fringes and Updike focused on the center of American culture. Included is analysis of their roles as literary celebrities and stylists. This dual case study provides greater context in examining the literary world of twentieth and early twenty-first century America by probing their shared experiences.

Author Biography

  • Bob Batchelor, Kent State University

    Bob Batchelor is an assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Kent State University. He is the author or editor of 17 books, including: The 2000s and Cult Pop Culture: How the Fringe Became Mainstream (3 vols.). Bob has published in Radical History Review, The Journal of American Culture, and The Mailer Review. He is a member of the editorial advisory board of The Journal of Popular Culture and the International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning. His book on John Updike is forthcoming from Praeger.

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Published

2026-10-09

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 1 (2012): Why Mailer Matters

Section

Articles