Feminist writer Dorothy Allison, 75, died of cancer on November 5 at her home in Guerneville, CA. Allison was the author of acclaimed 1992 novel Bastard Out of Carolina, as well as other works including the novel Cavedweller and the short story collection Trash. Bruce Degen, 79, illustrator of The Magic School Bus series of children’s books, died of pancreatic cancer on November 7 at his home in Newtown, CT. Degen worked with author Joanna Cole on the 14-book series. Degen’s other work included illustrating the book Jamberry.
Obits
Mike Shatzkin, RIP
The beautiful, brilliant, boisterous, kind, generous, optimistic, unconventional and wholly original Mike Shatkzin, 77, died on the morning of November 7 at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, following the recent onset of a rare cancer. In his final days, Mike was lifted by an outpouring of love and appreciation, as his ICU room overflowed with visitors from near and far and his email and texts flooded with messages. Even as his body struggled, Mike’s resting face in his hospital bed was often a smile. Mike was indelible. If you were fortunate enough to spend time with him, his voice […]
Obituary: Gary Indiana
Novelist, playwright, and critic Gary Indiana, 74, has died. He served as the art critic for the Village Voce from 1985-1988, and went on to publish novels including Horse Crazy, Resentment: A Comedy, and most recently, The Shanghai Gesture.
Obituary: Lore Segal
Lore Segal, 96, died on October 6 in her home in Manhattan. Born in Vienna, Segal spent her childhood as a Jewish refugee in England, and later emigrated to the United States. Her first novel, Other People’s Houses, was serialized in the New Yorker before being published in 1964. Other works include Lucinella, Shakespeare’s Kitchen, and Her First American.
Obituary: Robert Coover
Robert Coover, 92, died on October 5 in Warwick, England. Coover was one of the pioneers of post-modern American fiction. His first book, The Origin of the Brunists, was published in 1966. His many other books include the short story collection Pricksongs and Descants, the novel The Public Burning, and his most recent novel Open House, published in 2023. A longtime teacher at Brown University, his students included Rick Moody, Joanna Scott, Jim Shepard, Sam Lipsyte, Ben Marcus, and Alexandra Kleeman.
Obituary: Nicholas Byam Shaw
Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Byam Shaw, ceo and chairman of Macmillan for 30 years, died on September 25. He joined Macmillan in 1964 as an international sales executive, and his work eventually spanned divisions including Pan Macmillan, Macmillan Publishers US, Macmillan Education, Macmillan Learning and Nature. Stefan von Holtzbrinck, ceo of Holtzbrinck Publishing Group writes, “Nicky will be remembered as a rare leader who blended a deep intellectual curiosity with sharp business insight. His leadership at Macmillan was not just about financial success but about fostering a culture of excellence and human connection, one that continues to define the company today. Macmillan’s reputation for quality and innovation stands as a testament […]