2015 Notable Deaths in the Literary World

I've been known to pull together rather extensive "Notable Deaths" lists in the past, but this year I'm going to limit the list to major (or best selling) authors and a few others whom I will especially miss.  As always, I fear inadvertently leaving out someone whose death I missed hearing about, so if you think other authors belong on the list please let me know in the comments section of this post.

2015 Deaths

E. L. Doctorow

"Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia" .

Doris Lessing

"There is only one real sin and that is to persuade oneself that the second best is anything but second best."

 Ruth Rendell

"I think about death every day - what it would be like, why it would happen to me. It would be humiliating to be afraid."

 Günter Grass 

"As a child I was a great liar. Fortunately my mother liked my lies. I promised her marvelous things."

Henning Mankell

"I am not afraid of dying. I have lived longer than most people in the world. What scares me is to have a body that works but a brain that is waving goodbye. If that happens, I hope I die quickly."

Oliver Sacks

“Language, that most human invention, can enable what, in principle, should not be possible. It can allow all of us, even the congenitally blind, to see with another person’s eyes.” 

Anne Rule

"I always say that bad women are fewer than men, but when you get one, they're fascinating because they're so rotten."

Terry Pratchett

"The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."

Peter Dickinson 

“I think Peter Dickinson is hands down the best stylist as a writer and the most interesting storyteller in my genre.” Sara Paretsky

Colleen McCullough  

"That's the purpose of old age... To give us a breathing space before we die, in which to see why we did what we did."

Jackie Collins

"I have this theory that people in Hollywood don't read. They read 'Vanity Fair' and then consider themselves terribly well read. I think I can basically write about anybody without getting caught."

And then there are these three men whose talents I admired.  I will miss each of them.

B.B. King

"When I do eventually drop, I pray to God that it'll happen in one of three ways. Firstly, on stage or leaving the stage, then secondly in my sleep. And the third way? You'll have to figure that out for yourself!"

 Yogi Berra

"You should always go to other people's funerals; otherwise, they won't come to yours."

Percy Sledge

"'Cover Me.' 'Take Time To Know Her.' 'Warm and Tender Love.' 'Out Of Left Field.' 'Dark End Of The Street.' 'Tears Me Up.' 'My Special Prayer.' All points back to one song. 'When A Man Loves A Woman.' The Grand-daddy to all of my songs. The boss of all of my songs. I have great respect for that song. Always will."