The Centaur
Published in 1962, The Centaur is a mythic fiction novel by John Updike. The story is set in Alton and PA (Reading, in 1940s-1960s. Characters include John Updike. It deals with National Book Award Winner, high school teachers, centaurs and fathers and sons.
13 Open Library readers have it on their want-to-read list. It has been published in 87 editions across 21 languages.
At about 298 pages, most readers finish it in 5–6 hours.
About The Centaur
In a small Pennsylvania town in the late 1940s, schoolteacher George Caldwell yearns to find some meaning in his life. Alone with his teenage son for three days in a blizzard, Caldwell sees his son grow and change as he himself begins to lost touch with his life. Interwoven with the myth of Chiron, the noblest centaur, and his own relationship to Prometheus, The Centaur is one of John Updike's most brilliant and unusual novels.
Awards & lists
- ✦National Book Award (1964)
Quick answers
Who wrote The Centaur?
The Centaur was written by John Updike and first published in 1962.
What genre is The Centaur?
It is usually shelved as Myth & Legend Fiction.
How long is The Centaur?
The median edition has 298 pages, about 5–6 hours of reading at 250 words per minute.
What books are similar to The Centaur?
Readers who like it often enjoy Anansi Boys, The Two Towers and The Silmarillion.
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