21 Authors Who Died in 2016

Some of our most beloved authors passed away in 2016. While we can still enjoy their work, it's disheartening to realize that there won't be another Llama Llama book or bestselling novel from these folks. Head to your local library or independent bookstore to check out any of these great books by authors we lost this year.

• Margaret Forster
  May 25, 1938-February 8, 2016
  Her 1965 book Georgy Girl was turned into a movie with this hit song by The Seekers.

• Harper Lee
  April 28, 1926-February 19, 2016
  Her novel To Kill a Mockingbird is a modern classic.
  
  
  
• Umberto Eco
  January 5, 1932-February 19, 2016
  A prolific Italian author, his book The Name of the Rose was turned into a hit movie in 1986.
  
  
• Pat Conroy
  October 26, 1945-March 4, 2016
  Perhaps best known for his novels The Great Santini and The Prince of Tides, Conroy was once fired as a teacher because he refused to use corporal punishment.
• Jim Harrison
  December 11, 1937-March 26, 2016
  His Legends of the Fall novella trilogy was made into a movie starring Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins.
  
• Katherine Dunn
  October 24, 1945-May 11, 2016
  Her 1989 novel, Geek Love, was a finalist for the National Book Award.
• Wendy Leigh
  September 13, 1950-May 29, 2016
  Leigh was a nonfiction writer, penning biographies of many celebrities including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Prince.
• Lois Duncan
  April 28, 1934-June 16, 2016
  Many of her runaway hit YA suspense and horror books, like I Know What You Did Last Summer and Killing Mr. Griffin, were made into movies.
• Alvin Toffler
  October 4, 1928-June 27, 2016
  Toffler explored technological advances in his books Future Shock and The Third Wave.
• Elie Wiesel
  September 30, 1928-July 2, 2016
  A Holocaust survivor who published over 50 books, including his best known work, Night, Wiesel was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986.
• Reverend Tim LaHaye
  April 27, 1926-July 25, 2016
  His Left Behind series captivated millions.
• James Alan McPherson
  September 16, 1943-July 27, 2016
  He won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his novel Elbow Room in 1978.
  
  
• Max Ritvo
  December 19, 1990-August 23, 2016
  He told the world about his cancer in shockingly lyrical verse.
• Anna Dewdney
  December 25, 1965-September 3, 2016
  Her children's books, especially the Llama Llama series, were beloved by children and adults worldwide.
• Edward Albee
  March 12, 1928-September 16, 2016
  Pulitzer and Tony Award winning playwright
• W.P. Kinsella
  May 25-1935-September 16, 2016
  A Canadian author, he was well known for his book Shoeless Joe, which became the movie Field of Dreams.
  
• Gloria Naylor
  January 25, 1950-September 28, 2016
  Naylor's The Women of Brewster Place won the National Book Award in 1983 for First Novel and was made into a miniseries starring Cicely Tyson and Oprah Winfrey.
• Steve Dillon
  March 22, 1962-October 22, 2016
  Co-creator of Preacher, he also worked on Hellblazer and The Punisher.
• William Trevor
  May 24, 1928-November 21, 2016
  Trevor was aprize-winning Irish author.
• E.R. Braithwaite
  June 27, 1912-December 12, 2016
  Braithwaite's autobiographical novel To Sir, With Love was made into a movie starring Sidney Poitier in 1967.
  
• Richard Adams
  May 9, 1920-December 27, 2016
  His novel Watership Down became an instant classic when it was published in 1972.

Until next time, happy reading!

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/2016-year-in-review/look-back-all-famous-figures-who-died-2016-n698791
http://www.tributes.com/celebrity/deaths/Writers

Ellen, We Can't Quit You, Baby

Have you ever heard of Josephine Haxton? Born in 1921 in Natchez, she's the author of several soul-searching books about the South-Mississippi in particular. She passed away Wednesday (November 7, 2012) here in Jackson, MS.

Perhaps you're more familiar with her nom de plume. Back when Haxton began writing, she based her first book on two of her aunts. When it was ready to wing its way into the world, she didn't want her relatives to be recognized. Ellen Douglas, the author, and A Family's Affairs, the book, were both "born" in 1962. The book won a Houghton Mifflin Fellowship. Several other novels followed, in addition to essays and other nonfiction. Her novel Apostles of Light was nominated for a National Book Award. In 2000, she received the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Literature, and in 2008, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters.

Haxton hobnobbed with some of the literary giants of Mississippi: Shelby Foote, Walker Percy, Eudora Welty, Charles Bell. She was well acquainted with newspaperman Hodding Carter, too. In their own small way, the Haxtons both tried to stave off the insanity of some Mississippians' response to the Civil Rights Movement. Josephine held meetings in her home and ignored color boundaries. Her husband Kenneth advocated school integration. The two stayed in Greenville and raised a family. These influences consistently appeared in Haxton's books.

One of Haxton's hallmarks was her honest prose. She didn't sugar coat. She didn't shy away from hard truths. Haxton consistently confronted tensions in her home state with a sharp eye and ear for the people who live there. She saw the faults, the quirks, the human foibles within all of us-even ones we didn't know we possessed. She painted authentic pictures-of the awkward relationships between men and women; of the stumbling unions between blacks and whites; of what the South used to be and what it is becoming-that we recognized as and in ourselves.

In her last book, a collection of essays entitled Witnessing, Haxton had this to say:

I remember saying to a friend of mine, joking one day while we sat in the Greenville cemetery, the unlikely but beautiful spot where we often went to share a beer and look at the headstones, that my own epitaph should be, "She was always willing to take a small chance."

I think she did better than that. Don't you?

Douglas, Ellen. Witnessing. Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi, 2004.
Inge, William, ed. The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture, Volume 9: Literature. The University of North Carolina Press, 2008.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20121108/NEWS/311070072/Writer-Josephine-Haxton-aka-Ellen-Douglas-dead-91

The Days the Music Died

Last week, one of our regular patrons called with a question about a female singer who had died young. He described in great detail exactly where she gained her fame, and how, and how she died. He then fell to wondering about other young female singers who met their demises before their time. For him, and for you, I compiled this list of twenty ladies under 40 who knew how to belt out a tune:

1. Evelyn Preer 7/16/1896 – 11/27/1932
   Double pneumonia at age 36   
   Born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Preer was also a noted actress of the day and helped to define African-American women in film. She performed with the likes of Duke Ellington (http://www.silentera.com/).

2. Patsy Cline 9/8/1932 – 3/5/1963
   Plane crash at age 30
   Cline was a pioneering female country singer, being one of the first ladies to break into the genre (Cline, Patsy).

   

   Patsy Cline

3. Cass Elliot 9/19/1941 – 7/29/1974
   Heart attack at age 32
   Elliot, who was born Ellen Naomi Cohen, was a member of the 60s pop folk group, The Mamas and the Papas (Cass Elliot).
 
4. Janis Joplin 1/19/1943 – 10/4/1970
   Heroin/morphine overdose at age 27
   Blues rock musician of the late 1960s. Famous for singing, among other songs, "Me and Bobby Mcgee" (Janis Lyn Joplin).

   

   Janis Joplin

5. Florence Ballard 6/30/1943 – 2/22/1976
   Heart attack at age 32
   An original member of The Supremes, Ballard grew up with Diana Ross and Mary Wilson (Florence Ballard).
6. Tammi Terrell 4/29/1945 – 3/16/1970
   Brain tumor at age 24
   The talented Terrell performed with Marvin Gaye and other Motown favorites (Tammi Terrell).
7. Sandy Denny 1/6/1947 – 4/21/1978
   Brain hemorrhage at age 31
   Denny was a British folk rock singer of the 1960s and 1970s (Sandy Denny).
8. Minnie Riperton 11/8/1947 – 7/12/1979
   Breast cancer at age 31
   Riperton had an amazing voice with a 5 octave range (Minnie Riperton).
9. Mary Ann Ganser 2/4/1948 – 3/14/1970
   Encephalitis at age 22
   Ganser was a member of the girl group The Shangri-Las along with her twin sister Marge (The Shangri-Las).
 
10. Karen Carpenter 3/2/1950 – 2/4/1983
    Anorexia nervosa at age 32
    Carpenter sang with her brother Richard in the duo The Carpenters (Karen Anne Carpenter).

    

    Karen Carpenter

    
11. Karen Young 3/23/1951 – 1/26/1991
    Bleeding ulcer at age 39
    Young was a one hit wonder with Hot Shot (Karen Young American singer).
12. Eva Cassidy 2/2/1963 – 11/2/1996
    Melanoma at age 33
    Cassidy, who had a strong voice and was adept at harmonizing, became better known after her death (Eva Cassidy).
13. Wendy Holcombe 4/19/1963 – 2/14/1987
    Cardiomyopathy at age 23
    Holcombe was a talented singer who also played the banjo (http://www.findagrave.com/).
14. Mia Zapata 8/25/1965 – 7/7/1993
    Strangled at age 28
    Zapata was the lead singer for the grunge punk band The Gits when she was murdered. Her killer was found ten years later with DNA tests (Westmoreland).
15. MC Trouble 7/30/1970 – 6/4/1991
    Epileptic seizure at age 20
    Born LaTasha Sheron Rogers, MC Trouble was the first female rapper signed to Motown (http://www.findagrave.com/).
16. Selena 4/16/1971 – 3/31/1995
    Shot at age 23
    Selena was born Selena Quintinilla and later married guitarist Chris Perez. She was a major voice of Tejano music in the 1990s. She was shot by the president of her fan club, who was suspected of mismanagement and embezzlement (Selena).
17. Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes 5/27/1971 – 4/25/2002
    Automobile crash at age 30
    Lopes was part of the all-female rap group TLC. Her vehicle was estimated to be travelling at 85 mph when she crashed in the Honduras (Lisa Lopes).
18. Amie Comeaux 12/4/1976 – 12/21/1997
    Automobile accident at age 21
    Comeaux was a country singer who was just getting her big break when she died in a car accident (http://www.amiecomeaux.com/).
      
19. Aaliyah 1/16/1979 – 8/25/2001
    Plane crash at age 23
    Born Aaliyah Dani Haughton, Aaliyah was just coming into her own as a rising pop singer when her plane crashed leaving the Bahamas (Aaliyah).
     

    

    Aaliyah

20. Amy Winehouse 9/14/1983 – 7/23/2011
    Alcohol poisoning at age 27
    Winehouse was a soul and R&B singer with a history of alcohol abuse and an outstanding musical talent (http://www.bbc.co.uk/).

Did I miss your favorite lady of song? Let me know in the comments.
Rest in peace, ladies. Rest in peace.

"Aaliyah." Contemporary Musicians. Vol. 47. Detroit: Gale, 2004. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.
"Cass Elliot." Dictionary of American Biography. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1994. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.
"Cline, Patsy (1932-1963)." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.
"Eva Cassidy." Contemporary Musicians. Vol. 35. Detroit: Gale, 2002. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.
"Florence Ballard." Almanac of Famous People. Gale, 2011. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.

"Janis Lyn Joplin." Dictionary of American Biography. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1988. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.
"Karen (Anne) Carpenter." Almanac of Famous People. Gale, 2011. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.
"Lisa Lopes." Contemporary Black Biography. Vol. 36. Detroit: Gale, 2002. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.
"Minnie Riperton." Almanac of Famous People. Gale, 2011. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.
"Sandy Denny: Mercurial Queen Of British Folk Rock." All Things Considered 14 June 2010. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.
"Selena." Contemporary Hispanic Biography. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2002. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.
"The Shangri-Las." Contemporary Musicians. Vol. 35. Detroit: Gale, 2002. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.
"Tammi Terrell." Almanac of Famous People. Gale, 2011. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.
Westmoreland, Sean. "Suspect charged in rocker Mia Zapata's '93 murder." Boston Herald 6 Mar. 2003: 020. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.
http://www.amiecomeaux.com/biography.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15453517
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aaliyah_Dana_Haughton_02.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JanisJoplinSinging.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Karen-carpenter_white_house.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Patsy_Cline_II.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Young_(American_singer)
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=3832
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=9527875
http://www.silentera.com/people/actresses/Preer-Evelyn.html

Have Any Last Words?

Following in the footsteps of our post on tombstone epigrams, my eyes have recently happened upon the book Famous Last Words by Barnaby Conrad.  Out of my own morbid curiosity I immediately began to thumb through the book interested in what was uttered in the last moments of breath by little-to-well-known historical figures.  There were a lot of solemn quotes, as you would imagine, but here are some of the more amusing ones:

v  Barnett Barnato (1852-1897): “The English financier and diamond king of great success and notable failures, he jumped from a ship into the sea after saying: ‘What is the time?’” (Conrad 37).

v  Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922): “Cautioned not to hurry his dictation, he said: ‘But I have to.  So little done.  So much to do!’” (Conrad 42).

v  Johannes Brahms (1833-1897): “The German composer died of cancer.  He had just finished a glass of wine.  ‘Ah, that tastes nice, thank you!’” (Conrad 49).

v  Hart Crane (1899-1932): “His poetry was frequently obscure, but in the end his language was clear as he jumped overboard into the sea, ‘Good-bye, everybody!’” (Conrad 74).

v  Anthony J. Drexel III (1826-1893): “He was exhibiting a pistol to a friend.  The demonstration was complete.  “Here’s one you’ve never seen before…’” (Conrad 87).

v  William Palmer (1824-1856): “Hanged for poisoning a friend, he asked as he stepped on the gallows trap:  ‘Are you sure it’s safe?’” (Conrad 159).

v  James W. Rodgers (1911-1960): “A murderer, he was executed in Utah by a rifle squad.  When asked if he had a last request, he smilingly said:  ‘Why, yes—a bullet proof vest.’” (Conrad 172).

v  Stanislas I, King of Poland (1677-1766): “The former king died as a result of burns received when his bathrobe caught fire.  ‘You gave it to me to warm me, but it has kept me too hot.’” (Conrad 186)

Do you have a favorite “last words” quote?  If you have a morbid curiosity, like me, of the last utterings of a different historical figure not listed then let us know!

 Conrad, Barnaby. Famous Last Words. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1961. Print.

What Do You Want On Your Tombstone?

I've had a horror of being buried alive ever since I saw the movie Spoorloos twenty years ago. (There was a horrible American remake called The Vanishing, but I'm not sure if they both had the same creepy ending.) Stories like Poe's The Cask of Amontillado and The Fall of the House of Usher don't help at all. I've always figured that it would safest if my remains were immediately reduced to a small pile of ashes and then put somewhere discrete. Last week, I stumbled across Thesaurus of Epigrams, which contains some hilarious epigrams. I'm thinking that it might be possible to change my mind about burial now, but only if I have the perfect tombstone inscription. Here are some of my favorites the book had to offer:

Erected to the memory of

John Phillips

Accidently shot,

As a mark of affection by his Brother.

---
Here lies the body of Jonathan Ground,

Who was lost at sea and never found.

---

Here lies the carcass of a cursed sinner

Doomed to be roasted for the Devil's dinner.

---
Here I lies, and no wonder I'm dead,

For the wheel of a wagon went over my head.
---
Here lies my wife, a sad slattern and a shrew,
If I said I regretted her I should lie too.
---

Here lies my poor wife, without bed or blanket,
But dead as a door-nail, and God be thankit.
---

Here lies Pierre Cabochard, grocer.

His inconsolate widow

dedicates this monument to his memory,

and continues the same business at

the old stand, 167 Rue Mouffetard.
---

Here lies the body of W. W.,

Who never more will trouble you, trouble you.

I like the idea of someone walking past my grave, glancing at my inscription, and howling hysterically. If I can't come up with one of these witty epigrams, do you think a well-worded knock-knock joke would have the same effect?

Fuller, Edmund, ed. Thesaurus of Epigrams. New York, NY: Crown Publishers, 1943. Print.http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SiegfriedSassoonGraveMells(GrahamAllard)May2006.jpg