John Hoyer Updike (Mar. 18, 1932 - Jan. 27, 2009) was an American novelist, poet, short story writer and literary critic. Updike's most famous work is his Rabbit series with Rabbit is Rich and Rabbit at Rest receiving the Pulitzer Prize. Updike was widely recognized for his careful craftsmanship and prolific output, having published more than 20 novels and more than a dozen short story collections, as well as poetry, literary criticism and children's books.