By Kelli Smith 11

Public interest in an on-campus reading by Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist John Updike has forced organizers to move the event to accommodate an anticipated large crowd.

The speeches of two other authors, Preston Rohen and Chris Manzza at 6:30 tonight in Shryock Auditorium, were moved to 1 1/2 hour earlier to enable interested people to attend both events, which are free.

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Updike’s speech originally was scheduled for the Student Center Auditorium, which seats about 300 people, but organizers now expect about 500 people to attend tonight’s speech.

There was a larger response than expected, and we would have moved to Shryock, but it was previously booked, Frederick Williams, Honors Department director, said.

Updike is expected to read from some of his recent works such as Toward the End of Time and works in progress at 8 p.m. in Ballroom D of the Student Center. His novel Rabbit at Rest was honored by the American Academy of Arts and Letters as the most distinguished work of American fiction written in the last five years.

He’s good. He has talent, Williams said. He’s not just a celebrity.

Updike has received the National Book Award, the American Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award. He has authored more than 40 books.

Updike also is responsible for the novel in which the movie The Witches of Eastwick was based on, and he has been dubbed the Jack Nicklaus of golf writing after the publishing of his book Golf Dreams.

In Golf Dreams, Updike described the finest golf shot ever, as The astounded ball, smitten, soared far up the fairway, curling toward the fat part of the green with just the daintiest trace of fade, hit once on the fringe, kicked smartly toward the flagstick, and stopped two feet from the cup.

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Updike’s appearance is part of the Annual Michael and Nancy Glassman University Honors Lecture Series. The series was endowed by the Glassmans, who met while they were students at SIUC. Nancy Glassman intended to attend Updike’s reading but is unable to attend.

It’s a marvelous event, and I hope to speak personally with him, said English Department Chairman John Howell.

Updike will speak at 8 p.m. in Ballroom D of the Student Center.

Preston Rohen and Chris Manzza will speak at 6:30 tonight at Shryock Auditorium.

The events are free and open to the public.