Membership in The John Updike Society is inclusive, with teachers, scholars, readers, collectors, and anyone interested in literature by John Updike invited to join. Like all single-author societies, The John Updike Society is organized for the purpose of promoting and sustaining interest in the fiction, poetry, criticism, and essays of our author (see History/Mission section for the wording of our mission statement). The Society owns and operates The John Updike Childhood Home in Shillington, Pa. as a literary center and museum.
Benefits:
• Free admission to The John Updike Childhood Home for the member and one guest or immediate family.
• Copies of any issues of The John Updike Review (published by the society and the University of Cincinnati) during the calendar year—print copy for U.S. residents; digital copy for members living outside the U.S.—plus access to online archived materials.
• Eligibility to attend the society’s biennial conferences that alternate between U.S. locations and international destination.
Currently the Society has 250+ members from 18 different countries and 35 states, with nearly as many non-academics as professors and teachers.
To join or renew, send the following information to John Updike Society, James Plath, 1504 Paddington Dr., Bloomington, IL 61704: Your name, preferred mailing address, phone, and preferred email address. And, of course, your dues (see options below).
Sorry, no money orders. Payment is by checks drawn on a U.S. bank or PayPal (send payment to johnupdikesociety@iwu.edu).
Though we still are not equipped to take credit card payments, only PayPal, discounted multiple-year memberships are now possible:
Regular dues Students/retirees
$30/year $25/year
$57/two years $47/two years
$81/three years $68/three years
$125/five years $100/five years
$500/lifetime*
$1000/lifetime benefactor
*A $500 lifetime membership can be upgraded to a lifetime benefactor membership with the additional payment of $500 at any time.