Endpoint and Other Poems

by John Updike
Endpoint and Other Poems cover
Good Books rating 3.83
Poetry
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  • ID: 11066
  • Added: 2026-02-18
  • Updated: 2026-02-22
  • ISBN: 9780141932026
  • Publisher: Penguin UK
  • Published: 2009-05-07
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 3

Endpoint and Other Poems by John Updike is a poignant and reflective collection that opens with a series of connected poems written on the occasions of his recent birthdays, culminating in his confrontation with his final illness. These poems look back on his childhood, family, and the circumstances that fueled his love for writing, offering a deeply personal glimpse into the life of this extraordinary writer. /n/n The collection also includes 'Other Poems,' which range from fanciful musings about being a stolen Rembrandt painting to celebratory outpourings that capture the spontaneity and flux of life. Additionally, there is a set of sonnets, some inspired by exotic travels in distant lands and others that take pleasure in the idiosyncrasies of nature in Updike's own backyard. This final collection is an eloquent and moving testament to Updike's life and his enduring love for poetry.

Reviews
The John Updike Society · Carmela Ciuraru · 2013-08-05
great 4.50

These last poems are tender and nostalgic, offering a poignant reflection on Updike's life and legacy. They are a beautiful and fitting conclusion to his literary career.

Carmela Ciuraru, writing for The John Updike Society, finds 'Endpoint and Other Poems' to be a deeply moving collection. She highlights the tenderness and nostalgia that permeate the poems, noting that they offer a poignant reflection on Updike's life and legacy. Ciuraru appreciates the way Updike explores themes of love, loss, and the passage of time, finding the collection to be both emotionally resonant and beautifully crafted. She particularly admires the way Updike's poems capture the essence of everyday moments, making them feel both universal and deeply personal. Overall, Ciuraru feels that 'Endpoint' is a fitting conclusion to Updike's literary career, showcasing his ability to evoke deep emotions with his poetry.

Quick quotes

    These last poems are tender, nostalgic but never sentimental.

    Updike's poems capture the essence of everyday moments, making them feel both universal and deeply personal.

    A beautiful and fitting conclusion to his literary career.

Evening Standard · 2012-04-05
positive 4.00

The poems in 'Endpoint' are more enjoyable and accessible, written in Updike's distinctive voice. They are adroit and contemplative, offering a personal and introspective look at the author's life.

The reviewer from the Evening Standard finds 'Endpoint and Other Poems' to be a more enjoyable collection compared to some of Updike's other works. They appreciate the poems for their accessibility and the way they are written in Updike's distinctive voice. The reviewer notes that the poems are adroit and contemplative, offering a personal and introspective look at the author's life. They particularly enjoy the way Updike explores themes of mortality and the passage of time, finding the collection to be both moving and thought-provoking. Overall, the reviewer feels that 'Endpoint' is a fitting finale to Updike's literary career, showcasing his ability to capture the essence of everyday life in his poetry.

Quick quotes

    In many ways, the poems in Endpoint are more readily enjoyable, being appropriately in his own voice, rightly adroit.

    When, contemplating a wet Sunday afternoon, he writes, 'The rain falls, the wind blows, and the world goes on.'

    The collection is a fitting finale to a remarkable literary career.

The New York Times · Michiko Kakutani · 2009-05-03
mixed 3.00

The collection includes a few standout poems, but overall, Updike's poetry is not as strong as his prose. The poems are well-crafted but lack the depth and resonance of his novels.

Michiko Kakutani, a renowned literary critic for The New York Times, highlights that while John Updike's 'Endpoint and Other Poems' contains some remarkable pieces, his poetry generally doesn't reach the same heights as his prose. She acknowledges Updike's skill with language and his ability to craft well-structured poems, but she feels that his poetry often comes across as more intellectual than emotional. Kakutani notes that Updike's poems are thoughtful and well-constructed, but they sometimes lack the depth and emotional resonance that make his novels so compelling. She appreciates the collection's moments of brilliance but ultimately finds it uneven.

Quick quotes

    It's a wonderful poem, but we shouldn't fool ourselves.

    He wrote very few like it, and usually, even on the comparatively rare occasions when he did, the poems were more notable for their craftsmanship than for their emotional resonance.

    Mr. Updike's poetry is more notable for its technical proficiency than for its emotional depth.

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