Author dies

[Janice, Moderator]

I had meant to mention that Canadian author, Farley Mowat, who wrote Never Cry Wolf, Lost in the Barrens, among other nature themed books, died in May 2014. I think I've only read Woman in the Mists: The Story of Dian Fossey and the Mountain Gorillas of Africa,

[Tejas Janet]

Sarah wrote: "Thanks for letting us know Esther. I recently bought his books, Flowers for Algernon. I will have to read it soon."

I read it decades ago and found it very touching. (I seem to recall reading it for a class in maybe junior high. Wow, I don't even want to think about how long ago that was!)

[Cherie]

Tejas Janet wrote: "I read it decades ago and found it very touching. (I seem to recall reading it for a class in maybe junior high. Wow, I don't even want to think about how long ago that was!)..."

LOL Janet! I totally remember watching the movie with Cliff Robertson at the Drive-In Theater and how devistated I was at the end. I read the book a few years later and it was even worse. I don't think I could read it again.

[Esther]

Janice wrote: "I had meant to mention that Canadian author, Farley Mowat, who wrote Never Cry Wolf, Lost in the Barrens, among other nature themed books, died in May 2014..."

Thanks. I missed this one. I always meant to read more of his,,, i like never cry wolf.

[Cherie]

Janice wrote: "I had meant to mention that Canadian author, Farley Mowat, who wrote Never Cry Wolf, Lost in the Barrens, among other nature themed books, died in May 2014..."

I remember the Dian Fossy movie, but I do not know if I ever read the book, Janet. I have seen the two other titles, too, but did not recognize the author's name. Was the wolf one where he eats the lemmings?

[Mariab]

25. jun dies Ana María Matute at 88 years old

[Samantha A]

Nadine Gordimer, South African Anti-Apartheid Author and Nobel Prize Winner Dies at age 90

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2014/0...

[Lisa]

P.D. James has died at the age of 94

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainme...

[Cathie]

What a grand wonderful lady. Her departure will leave a hole in the crime writing genre.

[Cherie]

Yes, I agree, she was an amazing writer. I only discovered her last year when I read Death Comes to Pemberley. I have a few others on my TBR list.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

And Colleen McCullough today.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-29...

[Lilisa]

The Thorn Birds is one of my all-time favorites. RIP Colleen McCullough.

[Debra]

I loved The Thorn Birds way back in the day. Recently I read Tim and although it wasn't as good, it was still well worth the read. Of course, the movie starring a young and hunky Mel Gibson and the awesome Piper Laurie was even better. I've always had a soft spot in my heart for the unusual love story.

[Cherie]

I am sorry for your loss, Rusalka. She was an Australian treasure, for sure!

I have Tim on my TBR list, but have never had a chance to read it or any of her other books, besides The Thorn Birds. It was always one of my mother's favorite books.

[Mariab]

I read Tim lot of years ago. I liked it (Thorn Birds not so much)

[Janice, Moderator]

I've always enjoyed Colleen McCullough's books. Sad that she's passed.

[Anne (Booklady)]

Rus -
I loved, loved The Thorn Birds.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

And the Murdoch press is doing a stellar job of being horrible about it in The Australian newspaper. Everyone's up in arms about a horrible obituary they published today.

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/20...

[Janice, Moderator]

How unfortunate. Where was the editor?

[Rusalka, Moderator]

It's the The Australian. Unfortunately, like a lot of the Murdoch Fox empire. They don't care.

But as the rest of the world is awesome, I highly recommend checking out #myozobituary on twitter. Celebs, authors, musicians, journos and every one else writing their own before the Aus gets to them.

[Lisa]

Very sad news.

[Sandra, Moderator]

Cant' believe The Australian obituary. SO inappropriate.
Nobody did apologize for this?

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Sandra wrote: "Cant' believe The Australian obituary. SO inappropriate.
Nobody did apologize for this?"

We'll see what comes out in the papers tomorrow. But I'm not holding my breath. They are often insulting, infactual and borderline deceitful. Haven't seen an apology ever that hasn't been forced by courts.

[Mariab]

It seems the greatest achievement a woman can accomplish her lifelong yet this days is a 'suitable' weight

[Sandra, Moderator]

Beside being a best seller author she also was a great neurologist. But it seems that being overweight is unforgivable. This world is so sexist...

[Peggy]

Argh, this makes me so mad! Why is weight or looks even relevant?

Completely off-topic concerning authors, but with regard to the content of the obituary: in January I taught a course on Body Image to students, and one of their assignments was to write a blog post about some sort of advertisement or video clip that negatively influences body image, using theories they learned about during the course. One of the students came up with an advertising campaign of Suit Supply, and I was sitting there literally jaw-dropped when I saw the pictures: http://www.cosmopolitan.com.au/health...

[Peggy]

I never read any of her books but I added The Thorn Birds to my tbr.

[Lilisa]

I hope you enjoy it when you do Peggy and I wouldn't mind re-reading it as a buddy read some day. A tribute to Ms. McCoullough.

[Sandra, Moderator]

The campaign is absolutely disgusting, Peggy...

[KimeyDiann]

Peggy wrote: "Argh, this makes me so mad! Why is weight or looks even relevant?

Completely off-topic concerning authors, but with regard to the content of the obituary: in January I taught a course on Body Imag..."

Oh my!

[Debra]

How awful and shallow focusing on physical attributes instead of a person's accomplishments. What were they thinking?

[Gail]

Twitter is dealing with that ridiculous obituary brilliantly by mocking it using the hashtag #MyOzObituary. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/peo...

[Sandra, Moderator]

It's good that it's at least being some kind of reaction.

[Cherie]

Mind boggling, disgusting adds and I cannot believe the Obit message - still!

[jaxnsmom]

Peggy wrote: "Argh, this makes me so mad! Why is weight or looks even relevant?

Completely off-topic concerning authors, but with regard to the content of the obituary: in January I taught a course on Body Imag..."

Well, I guess they had to do something to take the focus off of their unattractive clothes. And although I find the ads sleazy/disgusting/offensive, I have to ask - is the intent to say, the more clothes I have on the less clothes my women wear...

[jaxnsmom]

A very insulting obituary. I wonder if controversy was intended...any publicity is good publicity. So many things focus on the negatives these days. I was happy (and amused) to see the myozobits.

[Almeta]

Actor, director, photographer, audiobook narrator, author Leonard Nimoy died today, age 83.

Ironically he did a book of photography, The Full Body Project, which touches on the previous recent conversation.

[Stephanie]

Sad :(

[Janice, Moderator]

Almeta wrote: "Actor, director, photographer, audiobook narrator, author Leonard Nimoy died today, age 83."

NO! Oh, that is distressing. I loved him.

[Cherie]

Almeta wrote: "Actor, director, photographer, audiobook narrator, author Leonard Nimoy died today, age 83.

Ironically he did a book of photography, The Full Body Project, which touches on the previ..."

I saw on FB that he had gone the hospital, but I did not know that he had passed away. I did not turn on the TV at all last week. I am so sad.

[jaxnsmom]

I saw it when I turned on my computer today, and had to double check. I grew up on the original Star Trek series and the others and all the movies.

I thought this was a nice tribute.

http://www.theverge.com/2015/2/27/812...

[Cherie]

jaxnsmom wrote: "I saw it when I turned on my computer today, and had to double check. I grew up on the original Star Trek series and the others and all the movies.

I thought this was a nice tribute.

http://www...."

Thank you, Jmom. I felt the same way about him. I still cry at the end of the movie and wait for him to recognise Kirk at the end of the other.

[Janice, Moderator]

There can be only one Spock:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPkBy...

[Casceil]

I loved it when Nimoy came out of retirement to do a guest stint on Fringe. He was the perfect actor to play the elusive "Belli" who had been the partner of mad-scientist Walter for so many years.

[Sarah]

I am sad about Spock - he will always be Spock to me.

[Tejas Janet]

Yes - but he will always be Spock, if we believe in the relativity of time, which I am coming around to.

Live long and prosper

[Travis]

Sir Terry Pratchett. 66. Ok let me go find the link again

[Travis]

http://m.bbc.com/news/entertainment-a.... Here we go. Worked this time

[Almeta]

Travis of NNY wrote: "Sir Terry Pratchett. 66. Ok let me go find the link again"

A great lost, yet such as great legacy. The generations to come will have a vast world to escape to.

[Debra]

That's sad. He was so young.