About “The Centaur”
In a small Pennsylvania town in the late 1940s, schoolteacher George Caldwell spends three days alone with his teenage son during a blizzard, during which he reflects on his life and observes his son's growth. The narrative interweaves the myth of Chiron, the noblest centaur, with Caldwell's personal journey and his relationship to Prometheus.
Awards & honors
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Winner — National Book Awards (1964)
Praise for “The Centaur”
“A triumph of love and art.”
“A brilliant achievement . . . No one should need to be told that Updike has a mastery of language matched in our time only by the finest poets.”
“Unsurpassed . . . Natural, pertinent, fresh, subtle, and superbly written.”
Book details
- Published
- 1962
- Latest edition
- 1962 · ISBN 9780449912164
- ISBN
- 9780449912164
Frequently asked questions
How many pages is The Centaur?
The Centaur by John Updike has 320 pages.
More by John Updike
Book descriptions, author biographies, award records and review quotes on this page are courtesy of Penguin Random House.