In Memoriam

Our place for remembering those whose lives have touched us, especially those whose writing has impacted us.

Florence King, author of Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady has died aged 80

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/10/arts/florence-king-writer-who-wielded-an-acerb...

And David Bowie, singer songwriter of many disguises, mentor or inspiration to many other musicians and others, has died at 69.

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jan/11/obituary-david-bowie

RIP David Bowie. I wasn't even aware that he had cancer. A sad loss of a great artist.

RIP David.

I don't normally cry over celebrities passing away, but I've shed quite a few tears over David Bowie. He was special.

CNN's reporting that Alan Rickman died after a short battle with cancer at age 69.

OMG - shocked and surprised about Rickman. What a loss.

Wow. I can't believe about Rickman either. He will be missed - one of my favorite actors.

I was/am very upset hearing about Rickman this morning. My daughter texted me with just Alan Rickman and I just couldn't believe it when I Google him. It still brings tears to my eyes.

2016 is off to a really terrible start with Bowie and Alan Rickman both gone within days of each other.

I just learned that Kitty Kallen passed away last week. She was 94.

Her big hit, "Little Things Mean a Lot": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C7SzKv2uLU

RIP Peggy Anderson, the former writer and copy editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer​, who was best known for her 1978 book Nurse, a first person account of an anonymous young nurse (later identified as Mary Fish) who worked at Pennsylvania Hospital​ in Center City, Philadelphia​. That book sold over two million copies, formed the basis of a television movie and series, and helped change the public's view of the profession for the better. I'll remember her for her 1985 book Children's Hospital, which profiled six children who were treated at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. It was released during the year that I volunteered at this hospital for a summer, and that experience and reading this book helped me decide to become a pediatrician.

NYT: Peggy Anderson, Chronicler of the Nursing Profession, Dies at 77

RIP C.D. Wright, the former poet laureate of Rhode Island and professor at Brown University, who died unexpectedly at the age of 67. She won the 2010 National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry for her collection One with Others: (a little book of her days), which described the events in the small town of Forrest City, Arkansas during 1969, when racial tensions between the town's white and black residents reached a boiling point. I gave that book 5 stars when I read it, as it was one of the most searing poetry collections I had ever read; you can read my review of it here.

Washington Post: C.D. Wright, poet who wrote of her Arkansas youth, dies at 67

Glenn Frey, one of the original Eagles, has died at age 67.

It's been a rough year already and we are only a little over halfway through January.

It's been rough for sure...

Harper Lee has died, at the age of 89.

Harper Lee, Author of 'To Kill A Mockingbird', Dies at 89

>17 kidzdoc: Oh, what a shame. I know it's not unexpected but still sad news.

Umberto Eco died, at the age of 84

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35620368

What a day.

Louise Rennison, author of the Confessions of Georgia Nichols series (Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging namely), has died at the age of 63. She was never a huge name in teen lit but those books really shaped my taste for flaky, unreliable narrators!

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-35690685

Stuart Pawson, the author of the Charlie Priest mystery series has passed away.

http://doyouwriteunderyourownname.blogspot.com/2016/02/stuart-pawson-rip.html

http://www.meanstreets.co.uk/

Oh...no...not another one. From NPR: 'Prince Of Tides' Author Pat Conroy Dies At 70

More info on Conroy: he was born in Atlanta and lived most of his life in South Carolina, died yesterday at the age of 70. He was best known for his autobiographical novels based on his domineering and abusive father and the difficulties that his family faced, including The Prince of Tides, The Great Santini, and The Lords of Discipline.

NYT: Pat Conroy, Author of ‘The Prince of Tides’ and ‘The Great Santini,’ Dies at 70

Nancy Reagan has died.

Anita Brookner, winner of the Booker Prize, died March 10th.

Garry Shandling.

“Death steals everything except our stories.” ― Jim Harrison

Dec 11 1937- Mar 26, 2016- RIP

"In a career that began in the 1960s — and brought comparisons to Faulkner and Hemingway — Jim Harrison wrote more than three dozen books, including the novels Dalva and True North, the novella Legends of the Fall and many collections of poetry. He died Saturday in Patagonia, Ariz., at the age of 78, his publisher has confirmed to NPR."

Patty Duke died today at age 69.

Imre Kertész, the winner of the 2002 Nobel Prize for Literature, died yesterday.

Imre Kertész, Nobel Laureate Who Survived Holocaust, Dies at 86

Rest in peace, Prince Rogers Nelson.

Prince, Singular Music Star, Is Dead at 57

Katherine Dunn, author of Geek Love, died on May 11 at the age of 70.

Morley Safer, dies just a week after officially retiring from 60 Minutes.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/05/19/us/ap-us-obit-morley-safer-.html?_r=0

>34 laytonwoman3rd: Linda, thanks for posting this. I love bluegrass music, and he was a favorite of mine.

Of all the news outlets I follow, I was surprised that I only saw his death mentioned by NPR -- the same article you posted.

>35 tymfos: I saw mention of his death on both Sunday Today and CBS Sunday Morning, Terri. Those are our breakfast/brunch accompaniments on Sundays. I went searching for it on-line in order to post, and as usual NPR had the most comprehensive piece.

I'm glad those programs mentioned it. I don't get to watch tv on Sunday mornings. Really, I don't get a lot of news from tv anymore. I read it on my NPR app -- Thursday? Whatever day that article came out that you posted the link for.

Pat Summitt has died at age 64.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/06/28/483612431/pat-summitt-legendar...


I'm planning to read her last book, Sum it Up, in the next few weeks. Of course, she coached more winning games than any other college basketball coach, male or female. But I most admire her for how she dealt with her early-onset Alzheimer's disease.

>38 tymfos: We are heartbroken in Knoxville this week. Pat Summitt was a national figure, but she was also a friend and neighbor to many in our community. She will be remembered here as much for who she was and what she did off the court as she will be remembered for her coaching success. I suspect that we'll be hearing many stories in the next few days from random people whose lives she touched because she was so generous with her time and attention. Watch for an upcoming book by Maria Cornelius, The Final Season, about Pat's final year of coaching after her diagnosis.

Carrie, I'll watch for that book. My condolences to all who mourn her.

My daughter was at UT Knoxville during Pat Summitt's last few seasons. Even though she had no connection to the sports programs whatsoever, she says Summitt's influence was felt throughout the school. What a lot of good she left behind.

Writer Elie Wiesel has passed at age 87.
Activist and writer Elie Wiesel, the World War Two death camp survivor who won a Nobel Peace Prize for becoming the life-long voice of millions of Holocaust victims, has died, Israel’s Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem said on Saturday.
http://nypost.com/2016/07/02/holocaust-survivor-nobel-laureate-elie-wiesel-dead-...

>42 avatiakh: Incredibly sad news. I've been meaning to read Night for ages, and check it out from the library just last week. I've moved it to the top of my list now, after I finish my current read.

We've lost Garry Marshall, just when we need someone to make us laugh.

Péter Esterházy, one of Hungary's greatest writers and a significant contributor to postwar literature, died last week of pancreatic cancer at the age of 66.

The Globe and Mail: Péter Esterházy: Renowned postmodern author dies at 66

John Steinbeck's eldest son Thomas Steinbeck has passed on. He was a good writer himself.

http://www.ksbw.com/news/john-steinbecks-son-fellow-author-thomas-steinbeck-dies...

Very sad to lose Glenn Yarbrough, part of the soundtrack of my youth.

Steven Hill has died at the age of 94. I remember him as Mr. Briggs in the original "Mission Impossible" TV series....before Mr. Phelps, who took some getting used to, for me. This article hints that he was dismissed from the show for "being difficult"; I distinctly remember at the time it was said his insistence on observing the strictures of his orthodox Jewish faith made it impossible for him to continue in the series.

Sad news: a friend of mine just posted on Facebook that Gene Wilder died today, at the age of 83. I'll never forget his roles in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and Young Frankenstein.

>49 kidzdoc: He will be sorely missed!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2pt2-F2j2g

Louise Penny was posting on Facebook yesterday about her husband's death.

During this past week, W.P. Kinsella as well as Edward Albee have both passed away.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/wp-kinsella-assisted-death-1.3766...

http://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/postscript-edward-albee-1928-2016

Sheri Tepper, writer of science fiction and woman's advocate, passed away this weekend. Tepper passed away on October 22, 2016. She was 87 years old.

>53 ronincats:, >54 laytonwoman3rd: Very sad to hear that.

Leonard Cohen, songwriter and poet extraordinaire, is gone from us.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/leonard-cohen-dead-at-82-w449792

>56 ronincats: Crap! Another one gone!

>56 ronincats: what a horrible week this has been

>56 ronincats: This makes me sad, he just had a new album out.

I'm also sad.

New Zealand writer James McNeish has died. We featured him in the Jan/Feb ANZAC challenge this year.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/books/86441863/Wellington-writer-James-McNe...

also
New Zealand photographer Marti Friedlander has passed, she had several books, I reveiwed at least one on my thread these past years.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/arts/86429936/kiwi-photographer-marti-fried...

Also, musician Leon Russell died over the weekend

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/14/arts/music/leon-russell-hit-maker-and-musician...

Its been a bad, sad week.

And Gwen Ifill is gone. What a lady! Long a mainstay on the PBS Newshour and Washington Week in Review, she was a person I have long admired for her intelligence, her passion, and her competence. So sad.

Gwen Ifill was going to receive Columbia Journalism School’s John Chancellor Award for excellence in journalism this Wednesday evening.

>65 norabelle414: I trust they will still award it to her. I am really going to miss that calm and intelligent voice.

Journalist Ruth Gruber dies at age 105 yrs. I have her book Raquela: A Woman of Israel on my tbr pile.
Washington Post obit

>67 avatiakh: - I read that one but have 2 others of hers on my shelf, as yet unread: Haven and Ahead of Time
(both touchstones are wrong)

>67 avatiakh: there was a wonderful documentary on Ruth Gruber's life that I saw at the Toronto Film Festival a couple of years ago- and Ruth Gruber was there and spoke after the film- fascinating woman!

What a truly horrible year this has been for celebrity deaths. Miss Sharon Jones:

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-38037075

There was a documentary film released earlier this year about her. I saw only the trailer but I have a feeling it may be re-released

:-(

Heard that on our NPR news show. They played her singing in church after her first round of chemo was done - it was fantastic.

William Trevor has died. I suppose now I will get around to reading him.

Oh dear. Me too, Linda.

Florence Henderson has died. Although everyone is remembering her as Carol Brady these days, according to the NY Times obit, "Ms. Henderson was making a film in Norway in 1969 when she was asked to appear in the pilot episode of The Brady Bunch." That film was Song of Norway, based on the life of Edvard Grieg, and although the movie was kind of a flop, I've always loved the soundtrack, and my music major college roomie sang this song at my wedding.

Tribute from many Irish writers for William Trevor -
http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/a-barely-there-genius-with-a-beady-eye-i...

WILLIAM TREVOR (1928-2016)



I was alerted to the fact that William Trevor passed away this last week.
Possibly the finest exponent of the short story since Anton Chekov, the brilliance of his art in that genre oftentimes blurred the real excellence of his novel writing. Nadine Gordimer and Alice Munro won the Nobel Prize ostensibly for their talents in the medium of short-story writing but, good as they certainly are, for me, they were not quite at the level of Trevor.
A shy man who lived quietly since the 1950s in Devon with his wife of over 60 years. He was nominated for the Booker Prize five times and won the Whitbread Book Award three times.

I will be reading his novel Mrs Eckdorf in O'Neill's Hotel (1969) in memory of the great man next month and I would welcome anybody who would like to join me in reading some of his fine work. Perhaps I will look to put up something on the TIOLI this month to that effect.

A MITCHELSTOWN MAN


A Mitchelstown man is gone;
He died peacefully in his sleep
After keeping me awake through
So many nights rapt in his words.
The cliffs of Dynmouth
Preventing slumber.

While he breathed
The echoes of Anton could be
Distinctly heard
Through an unreliable narrator.
A reliable and great man;
A Mitchelstown man is gone.

PC 27-11-16

>76 PaulCranswick: My library has several of his books, Paul, and sadly I don't think I have ever read one of his stories. I'm not sure I can squeeze him into December but I will try to read something of his soon.

Shirley Hazzard has passed at age 85 yrs.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/13/books/shirley-hazzard-dead-novelist.html?_r=0

Article in The Japan Times to mark the centenary of Natusume Soseki's death (recommended on twitter by author Lian Hearn):
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2016/11/26/books/hidden-heart-natsume-soseki...

E.R. Braithwaite has died at age 104:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/e-braithwaite-guyanese-author-diplomat-dea...

This morning, Richard Adams, author of Watership Down died at age 96.

Later today, actress Carrie Fisher, memoirist of Wishful Drinking died at age 60.

What a hard day.

And today we lose Debbie Reynolds.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/dec/28/debbie-reynolds-hospital-carrie-fis...

I'm so ready for this year to be over.

Huston Smith died on December 30.

William Christopher, a/k/a Father Mulcahy died yesterday. Just in case we thought 2016 was through with us.

It's only just come to my attention that The Lady Chablis left us in September. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/09/arts/the-lady-chablis-of-midnight-in-the-garde...

>85 laytonwoman3rd: oh dear, she was one of the best parts of both book and movie. She owned her truth, didn't she?

>86 michigantrumpet: I sort of wonder about that, Marianne. I read her autobiography, Hiding My Candy, last spring. It was mostly flashy, pot-boiler stuff, though. Not introspective or enlightening at all. I'm not sure she was ever quite as comfortable with her true self as she insisted everyone else should be. I came away feeling a bit sad for her. She was only 59 years old when she died, and the book was written 20 years earlier.