Remembering some of the greats

At this time of year people always look back and remember the passing of some greats. There have sadly been several in the literary world this year.

One of the most notable was JG Ballard who died in April after losing a long battle with cancer. His death sparked an opportunity for a widespread appreciation of the author.

But also this year saw the passing of several other literary figures including Gordon Burn and John Updike. Often the death and the subsequent coverage spark off thoughts of reading their work. This has certainly been the case for me in regards to Ballard and if there is a moral for the year it is perhaps to try and discover some of these authors while they are still living writers.