RiP Richard Matheson
US science-fiction author and screenwriter Richard Matheson has died, aged 87. Matheson is the author of a number of novels, including I Am Legend, The Shrinking Man (both Victor Gollancz), A...
RiP Vince Flynn
US author Vince Flynn has died, aged 47. Flynn is best known for his bestselling ‘Mitch Rapp’ series of political thriller novels. His most recent book is The Last Man...
RiP Niki Aravanis
Niki Aravanis, a former staff member at the Australian Booksellers Association (ABA), has died aged 45. Robyn Huppert, on behalf of the ABA, writes: ‘It is with great sadness that...
Quote of the week
‘Not to have a new Bryce Courtenay novel to work on will leave a hole in my publishing life. Not to have Bryce Courtenay in my life will be to...
RiP Bryce Courtenay
Bryce Courtenay, bestselling Australian author, has died aged 79. Penguin Australia, on behalf of Christine Courtenay, writes: ‘It is with sadness Penguin Group (Australia) wish to advise that Bryce Courtenay AM...
RiP Sara Douglass
Sara Douglass, bestselling Australian fantasy writer, has died. The author twice won the Aurelius Award for Best Fantasy Novel. HarperCollins writes: ‘Sara was the first Australian signed to HarperCollins' Voyager list...
RiP Firgal Adams
James Herd, media services manager for McGraw Hill, writes: 'The publishing industry lost one of its most endearing and larger than life characters recently when Firgal Adams passed away suddenly. Firgal...
RiP Joyce Nicholson Thorpe
Joyce Nicholson Thorpe, founder of the Weekly Book Newsletter, died in late January aged 91.Publisher of the Weekly Book Newsletter Tim Coronel writes:'We are very sad to hear of the death...
RiP George Melly
George Melly, the English jazz singer, writer, wit, raconteur, surrealist and fly-fisherman, has died, aged 80. While known primarily as a performer, he also wrote a number of books, including Revolt...
RiP Glenda Adams
The Australian Society of Authors writes: We note with respect the passing of Glenda Adams. Glenda, born in 1939, died on 11 July 2007 in Sydney. She had been ill...
RiP Paul Hodder-Williams
Paul Hodder-Williams, chairman of Hodder & Stoughton from 1960 until his retirement in 1975, has died, aged 97.Grandson Jamie Hodder-Williams writes in Publishing News: ‘He was a mine of publishing...
RiP Merv Storey
Former bookseller Elaine Storey writes: ‘It is with great sadness that I inform the book trade that Merv Storey died in hospital on 9 June at the age of 90.Merv...
RiP Richard Rorty
American philosopher and writer Richard Rorty, whose large body of work includes the study of philosophy Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature (Princeton University Press) and collection of essays Consequences...
RiP Lynne Wilding
Linda Funnell writes: ‘Much-loved author Lynne Wilding passed away on Saturday after a long battle with cancer. In characteristic style she dealt with her illness with courage and good spirits,...
RiP Max Ell
Ernie Mason, former managing director of Random House, writes: ‘Max Ell passed away on Thursday 24 May after a short battle with cancer.Max was one of the old school and...
RiP Trevor Craker
Former Thames & Hudson sales manager Trevor Craker, an ‘Australophile' who was instrumental in establishing the Australian branch of the business, has died at the age of 89. Craker personally...
RiP Dennis Wren
Michael Wilding writes: ‘Dennis Wren, who died in Gosford NSW on 5 April, aged 80, was one of the great characters of Australian publishing in the 1960s and 70s. His...
RiP John Power
John Power, author of the groundbreaking Australian Rules book The Coach (Geoff Slattery Publishing), has died in London at the age of 72. The fly-on-the-wall account of the North Melbourne...
RiP Joyce Isabel Lee
Australian poet Joyce Isabel Lee, author of five poetry collections and winner of the Grenfell Henry Lawson Prize, has died in Melbourne at the age of 93.
RiP Dame Marie Clay (3/1/1926-13/4/2007): revered pioneer in reading intervention
A group of prominent educational publishers writes: Australian educational publishing companies were saddened to learn of Dame Marie Clay's passing on 13 April. Marie Clay was a New Zealand psychologist...