J G Ballard has cancer :(

[AE35Unit]

Just got this in the latest Ansible newsletter :

J.G. BALLARD told the Sunday Times that in mid-2006 he'd been diagnosed
with advanced prostate cancer. [20 January] This led him to write his
autobiography, Miracles of Life- published this month.


Here's hoping for a fast recovery

[j. d. worthington]

Originally Posted by AE35Unit

Just got this in the latest Ansible newsletter :

J.G. BALLARD told the Sunday Times that in mid-2006 he'd been diagnosed
with advanced prostate cancer. [20 January] This led him to write his
autobiography, Miracles of Life- published this month.


Here's hoping for a fast recovery

Damn. And yes, very much hoping for a fast -- and permanent -- recovery... though I fear that's very unlikely.

[AE35Unit]

I've only read a few of his works but what I've read I've enjoyed. Hmmm wonder how old he is-must be a contemporary of Aldiss so in his 70s?

[j. d. worthington]

Originally Posted by AE35Unit

I've only read a few of his works but what I've read I've enjoyed. Hmmm wonder how old he is-must be a contemporary of Aldiss so in his 70s?

He will be 78 in November of this year....

[pyan]

I remember being blown away by The Drowned World in the '60s. Hope that he gets at least a few more years.
Good luck, Mr Ballard.

[j. d. worthington]

Ballard remains one of my personal favorites. Despite my cautious approach earlier, I really do hope that he is one who beats this... I can't really picture a world without more coming from his unique talent....

[Dave]

Originally Posted by pyan

I remember being blown away by The Drowned World

Ditto for me.

Isn't 'Empire of the Sun' already an autobiography? Granted it is only his childhood, but he must have had an extremely exciting life to surpass that with a sequel!

[HardScienceFan]

wasn't being blown away supposed to be the tag for "The Wind From Nowhere"?

on a very serious note:

a very important writer and icon(oclast)

i wish him strenght,and, if at all possible,recovery

[AE35Unit]

Must read Empire of the Sun this year(beautiful non-sf film that!)

[Giovanna Clairval]

A great great writer. I never read his book in English, but I was blown away by the two translations I read a long time ago.

Darp it!

[AE35Unit]

Anyone know what his last sf book was? I think like aldiss he turned mostly non sf

[j. d. worthington]

Originally Posted by AE35Unit

Anyone know what his last sf book was? I think like aldiss he turned mostly non sf

Ballard never was a "typical" sf writer; very much one of the leading lights of the "New Wave", so a lot of his novels and short stories cross those boundaries, adding some mythic, speculative elements to what are seemingly contemporary novels of urban life, and then exploring where that takes one. This being the case, it might even be possible to consider Millennium People and Kingdom Come (from what I understand, not having read the novels themselves) as at least marginally sf, and they are his two most recent novels. Certainly, Cocaine Nights and Super-Cannes continue to explore themes and tropes he's used before, much in the vein of Vermilion Sands. After all, Ballard was the one who, iirc, stated that it was "inner space, not outer, that needed exploring"... and that's what he's done with his entire career....

[brsrkrkomdy]

I just finished his "Best Short Stories Of J.G. Ballard. Loved his books and short stories. My favorite is High Rise, Running Wild, Concrete Island, Crash, and Chronopolis. I've yet to read more of his stuff:

War Fever
Super-Cannes
Vermillion Sands
The Terminal Beach
Rushing To Paradise
The Unlimited Dream Company
Hello America
The Crystal World
The Drowned World

And I've also yet to nab his other books:

Empire Of the Sun
Cocaine Nights
Kindness of Women
The Venus Hunters
The Wind From Nowhere
Miracle Of Life
Days of Creation

And many other books and short story collections.

[brsrkrkomdy]

Forgot to add, that I hope for his swift recovery.

[Connavar]

Although i havent read Ballard yet, im sad about the cancer and hope he beats it.

I know he is a important writer and plan to read him soon.