Of course, anytime an author dies it makes the baby Jesus cry. But when I was typing up yesterday's list of authors who passed on last year, I must admit there were more than a few that really hit me hard. Which ones?
Well, Ray Bradbury, of course. And Nora Ephron hit pretty hard too. But David Rakoff? Oh, losing David Rakoff broke my heart.
Several of the names surprised me; Jacques Barzun because I really didn't know he was still alive. David Oliver Relin (co-author of Three Cups of Tea, but we can't hold that against him, I think Greg Mortenson is the real problem there) was sad because he committed suicide, and Jeffrey Zaslow (although I think his book, The Last Lecture, co-authored by Randy Pausch, was a crime against the book-buying public) was kind of sad because he died on a snowy road driving around in Michigan promoting his latest book. It's a tough life, being an author.
And then, there were Earl Shorris ("who fought poverty with knowledge," what a beautiful epigraph) and Paul Fussell.* Two of my very favorites. This year please do consider reading a book by either of those authors in tribute; they wrote thoughtful, solid, intelligent nonfiction. They will be missed.
*In fact, I'm thinking I'm making this the Year of Fussell here at CR. Maybe we'll do a Menage with him, or perhaps I'll issue a reading challenge?
Nora Ephron's passing felt like a sucker punch to the gut. I'm sad that I discovered David Rakoff after he was gone.
Posted by: bybee | 15 January 2013 at 10:58 AM
Yes, Bybee, my sister felt that way about Ephron too. I liked (but didn't love) her, but it was still a shock. And a loss of a very great talent. I want to re-read "Heartburn" one of these days--I think it's probably been more than a decade since I read it the first time!
And I'm just so glad you found Rakoff as well. Man, that guy. A true pessimist after my own heart--and one that admitted that no, pessimism doesn't really make you any more prepared for heartbreak or disappointment. I forget where he said that (or something like it) but I'll have to track it down.
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 15 January 2013 at 03:24 PM
I would participate in a menage featuring Fussell's work.
Posted by: Care | 21 January 2013 at 06:50 AM
Thanks, Care,
I'm going to look at his list of titles and see which ones would work for the Year of Fussell and a related menage!
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 21 January 2013 at 03:36 PM