Yet more on the Nobel snub

An interesting survey of opinions, courtesy of Intellectual Affairs, on whether American literature is, as a Swedish worthy recently pronounced, too "insular" to produce a Nobel-worthy writer.

I linked earlier this week to a piece in Slate that concluded that we shouldn't take the Nobel seriously till Philip Roth wins. I tend, rather, to side with one of the commenters weighing in on the Intellectual Affairs quasi-symposium.

It's pretty silly that Updike hasn't received the Nobel yet. His short stories alone would merit it. Add his best 6 or 8 novels, and it's a compelling case. Also, if you read his criticism, it is apparent that he reads widely, without regard to national boundaries. He may write frequently about New England white people (horrors!), but his influences strike me as anything but provincial.

Future readers may consider Updike our era's Mozart; Mozart was once written off as a too-prolific composer of "charming nothings," and some speak of Updike that way.* A pity.

That last point, especially, seems prescient.

The winner of this year's prize will be announced tomorrow.

*See: James Wood.