--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I once saw John Updike get in front of a…" description: "\"I once saw John Updike get in front of a crowd and read a story that he'd written in 1958, and I just thought, I can't even look at stuff I wrote a yea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b46/jonathan-dee-12196_believe_i-once-saw-john-updike-get-in-front-of-a_189141.jpg" --- # I once saw John Updike get in front of a crowd and read a… ![“I once saw John Updike get in front of a crowd and read a story that he'd written in 1958, and I just thought, I can't even look at stuff I wrote a year ago, I can't believe he's doing this.” quote by Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b46/jonathan-dee-12196_believe_i-once-saw-john-updike-get-in-front-of-a_189141.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b46/jonathan-dee-12196_believe_i-once-saw-john-updike-get-in-front-of-a_189141.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b46/jonathan-dee-12196_believe_i-once-saw-john-updike-get-in-front-of-a_189141.jpg) > “I once saw John Updike get in front of a crowd and read a story that he'd written in 1958, and I just thought, I can't even look at stuff I wrote a year ago, I can't believe he's doing this.” [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeing a writer revisit old work shows the enduring value of literature and personal growth. **In simple terms:** Revisiting past work can be inspiring. Key Takeaway Embrace revisiting and learning from past creations. Themes literature creativity growth reflection career development Mood nostalgic inspirational Type literary motivational When to use this quote - writing workshops - literary events - personal retrospectives - career mentoring Key Concepts artistic evolution self‑assessment Questions to Reflect On - What does revisiting past work reveal about an author? - How can we balance new creation with honoring past achievements? A Different Perspective Some may view revisiting old work as lacking innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [Great books are readable anyway. Dickens is readable. Jane Austen is readable. John Updike's readable. Hawthorne's readable. It's a meaningless term. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/great-books-are-readable-anyway-dickens-is-readable-jane-austen-is/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“When a printed book—whether a recently published scholarly history or a two-hundred-year-old Victorian novel—is transferred to an electronic device connected to the Internet, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-carr/when-a-printed-book-whether-a-recently-published-scholarly-history-or/) [Nicholas Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-carr/) > [In 1995, I proposed the Harvard Arts Medal. The idea was to celebrate the fact that, although it's rare, Harvard men and women do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/in-1995-i-proposed-the-harvard-arts-medal-the-idea-was-to-celebrate/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [Incidentally, I am honorary president of the American Humanist Association, having succeeded the great science fiction writer and biochemist Dr. Isaac Asimov. John Updike,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/incidentally-i-am-honorary-president-of-the-american-humanist/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“One recalls John Updike’s argument: the only evidence for the existence of God is the collective human yearning that it should be so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/one-recalls-john-updike-s-argument-the-only-evidence-for-the/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [I read Lorrie Moore and Marilynne Robinson and Jhumpa Lahiri and Richard Ford, John Updike, Anton Chekhov, Vladimir Nabokov - all of whom I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-zauner/i-read-lorrie-moore-and-marilynne-robinson-and-jhumpa-lahiri-and/) [Michelle Zauner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-zauner/) > [ “\[About John Updike's Rabbit Run\] The author fails to convince us that his puppets are interesting in themselves, or that their plight has implications… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chicago-tribune/about-john-updike-s-rabbit-run-the-author-fails-to-convince-us-that/) Chicago Tribune > [I kissed John Updike as he presented me with an award. It wasn't the best kiss as far as kisses go, but I hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/i-kissed-john-updike-as-he-presented-me-with-an-award-it-wasn-t-the/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“Narratives about certain experiences are somehow legitimized when mediated through a man’s perspective. Consider the work of John Updike or Richard Yates. Most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/narratives-about-certain-experiences-are-somehow-legitimized-when/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [Neutrinos alone, among all the known particles, have ethereal properties that are striking and romantic enough both to have inspired a poem by John…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/neutrinos-alone-among-all-the-known-particles-have-ethereal/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [There's something in every atheist, itching to believe, and something in every believer, itching to doubt. ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic's Notebook, 1966 Religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/there-s-something-in-every-atheist-itching-to-believe-and-something/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [If writing is language and language is desire and longing and suffering . . . then why when we write, when we make shapes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-maso/if-writing-is-language-and-language-is-desire-and-longing-and/) [Carole Maso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-maso/) > [“The Sometime Sportsman Greets the Spring by John Updike When winter's glaze is lifted from the greens, And cups are freshly cut, and birdies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/the-sometime-sportsman-greets-the-spring-by-john-updike-when-winter-s/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“I had worked for a newspaper of sorts, word got around, and I became editor of our local school newspaper, The Drum. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-had-worked-for-a-newspaper-of-sorts-word-got-around-and-i-became/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“For years we had the persistent sensation in our life and art - John Updike's phrase - that we were just beginning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dani-shapiro/for-years-we-had-the-persistent-sensation-in-our-life-and-art-john/) [Dani Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dani-shapiro/) ## More by Jonathan Dee > [Those who know New York City primarily through tourism or mass culture may think of us natives as possessing certain shared characteristics, not all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/those-who-know-new-york-city-primarily-through-tourism-or-mass/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [You never want to have to give your child bad news of any kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/you-never-want-to-have-to-give-your-child-bad-news-of-any-kind/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [I wrote my first novel in the same conditions as most first novelists - I had a full-time job, I shared an apartment, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/i-wrote-my-first-novel-in-the-same-conditions-as-most-first-novelists/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [That's a long way of saying no, I'm always too bound up in thinking about the characters in whatever I'm working on and trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/that-s-a-long-way-of-saying-no-i-m-always-too-bound-up-in-thinking/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [I have no desire to write historical anything or futuristic anything - I want to find a way to get at the essence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/i-have-no-desire-to-write-historical-anything-or-futuristic-anything/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [The Postman Always Rings Twice that's a book that I think every writer should read - that has to do with technique. But it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/the-postman-always-rings-twice-that-s-a-book-that-i-think-every/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [It's nice to have something else going on when a book comes out so you're not just sitting by the phone, waiting for things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/it-s-nice-to-have-something-else-going-on-when-a-book-comes-out-so/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [“That mysterious foreknowledge of my success in life was sweeter to me than the success itselt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/that-mysterious-foreknowledge-of-my-success-in-life-was-sweeter-to-me/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [“I mean she's not exactly a complex figure. You can look at her and pretty much imagine what that whole relationship was like. She's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/i-mean-she-s-not-exactly-a-complex-figure-you-can-look-at-her-and/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [That's really the essence of what any fiction writer does. Some of it is research-based, but most of it is a really long-term, imaginative,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/that-s-really-the-essence-of-what-any-fiction-writer-does-some-of-it/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [It's not really an original idea, but there's something that goes along with power and celebrity that starts to make you feel like you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/it-s-not-really-an-original-idea-but-there-s-something-that-goes/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [John Dos Passos, Raymond Carver, Flaubert and William Maxwell were all very influential when I first started writing. Now, the writers I'm most interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/john-dos-passos-raymond-carver-flaubert-and-william-maxwell-were-all/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [Kenneth Branagh. There was a time in my life when people would tell me constantly that I look like him. I could do a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/kenneth-branagh-there-was-a-time-in-my-life-when-people-would-tell-me/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [I think that good storytelling of any kind does promote a humility in that it encourages you to see the world the way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/i-think-that-good-storytelling-of-any-kind-does-promote-a-humility-in/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [I worry that's what people are going to think about me if they kind of go backwards. But if that didn't happen to you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/i-worry-that-s-what-people-are-going-to-think-about-me-if-they-kind/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) [Explore all 56 Jonathan Dee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I once saw John Updike get in front of a crowd and read a story that he'd written in 1958, and I just thought, I can't even look at stuff I wrote a year ago, I can't believe he's doing this.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jonathan Dee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/i-once-saw-john-updike-get-in-front-of-a-crowd-and-read-a-story-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/i-once-saw-john-updike-get-in-front-of-a-crowd-and-read-a-story-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b46/jonathan-dee-12196_believe_i-once-saw-john-updike-get-in-front-of-a_189141.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b46/jonathan-dee-12196_believe_i-once-saw-john-updike-get-in-front-of-a_189141.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b46/jonathan-dee-12196_believe_i-once-saw-john-updike-get-in-front-of-a_189141.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I once saw John Updike get in front of a crowd and read a story that he'd written in 1958, and I just…” — Jonathan Dee", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jonathan Dee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I once saw John Updike get...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/i-once-saw-john-updike-get-in-front-of-a-crowd-and-read-a-story-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/i-once-saw-john-updike-get-in-front-of-a-crowd-and-read-a-story-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```