Great Regulars: What I prized most about [John] Updike,

though, was his marvellous ear for a sentence. In the stories especially, he caught the shimmer of light on the grass, for example, with uncanny skill. He could describe a twitching face, a wrinkled elderly hand, a fond gesture of affection, with shocking ease. I doubt I shall ever forget the painful stories about a family coming apart in Problems (1979); 'Separating' is one story I've read again and again through the years, with increasing admiration.

My guess is that he will long be remembered as a master of the short story, the American equivalent of Maupassant.

from Jay Parini: The Guardian: American splendor

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For poet Elizabeth Alexander, Barack Obama's inaugural speech must have felt like a hard act to follow. I'm a great admirer of Alexander's work--she has a delicate touch, and her poems cut deep. In the circumstances, I think she did a fine job. Yet it was Obama's speech that rang in the world's ear, as only the purest poetry can.

But could it truly be termed "poetry"?

from Jay Parini: The Guardian: Could Obama's speech be called poetry? Yes, it could

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