Lately it seems to me like a lot of famous people are dying. I know this is not true – it’s probably just me being a bit more aware.
Heard this on the 8am news on ABC radio: Grant McLennan, founding member of that iconic Australian band, the Go-Betweens, died in his sleep this weekend. He was only 48 years old. The radio reported that the news was posted on the band’s website. I don’t seem to have any Go-Betweens music to hand at the moment (strange!), but Cattle and Cane and Streets of Your Town are two songs that will always take me back to my younger days. Update 9:20am: Just spotted a report on the ABC news site.
Last weekend, Pak Pram – the Indonesian writer Pramoedya Ananta Toer – passed away at his home, aged 81. First read this news on Bibliobibuli. More obituaries at Complete Review. I must reread the Buru Quartet.
And earlier this year (late February), Octavia E. Butler, science fiction writer, passed away. I’m rereading her Xenogenesis trilogy.
Thinking about it, maybe the reason it seems like so many people have been dying is the fact that lately many of them have been people whose work or lives have had some meaning for me. Muriel Spark also passed away recently, but this fact didn’t immediately come to mind because she wasn’t someone I felt any sort of connection to. People die every day, famous or otherwise.
It’s a clear and sunny day here in Perth. Why am I thinking about life and death on such a fine day?
Categories: meaning-of-life
4 Comments
Betty Friedan died recently too and it didn’t even hit my radar until well after the fact.
48! That’s too young to go… 🙁
I was so surprised when I heard a couple of months ago that Octavia Butler had died. I’d met her just over a year ago when she visited Milwaukee. She struck my as WAY to alive to die so soon, so enthusiasitc and gracious… silly, I know.
Oh yes, Betty Friedan!! Hmmm…. how could I not have noticed??
Ya, too young… I went and remedied my lack of Go-Betweens music yesterday. It’s got me reminiscing about music and reminded me of The Triffids as well. Must go and get Calenture too. Do you still have that album?
Wow Iris you met Ms Butler? I would have loved to!