DWJ obituary

[steepholm]

My obituary of Diana Wynne Jones appeared in today's Independent. The content is pretty much as I wrote it, but the subeditor managed to turn it into a headline about J. K. Rowling, which does not please me.

Comments

[gair.livejournal.com]

Beautiful, despite the use of arbitrary authority by the sub-editor, who is clearly silly if not a fusspot. Thanks.

(Ha, I was just thinking, I don't have a DWJ icon - but of course I do! Hidden in plain view.)

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

To misquote the bard:

First thing we do, let's hang all the sub-eds.............

[ashkitty.livejournal.com]

It's as if they (whoever They are in this case, I'm confused) still don't believe that anyone will recognise her name outside of the connection to Rowling--which is clearly not true, and the international outpouring of of sorrow on hearing of her death, before the news outlets even mentioned it, should be evidence enough of that. Beautifully written, anyway.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Yes - by their own participles!

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

So you do! :)

I'm glad you liked it.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

whoever They are in this case, I'm confused

They are a set of demons who like to play wargames with the various worlds, if I remember my Homeward Bounders. Or possibly people who don't know much about fantasy.

Beautifully written, anyway.

Thank you!

[ashkitty.livejournal.com]

Well yes, that is them; I just wish They were not quite so fantasy-clueless as well! ;)

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Painful, that! :o)

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Yes. Silly subeditors. Fortunately, we all know about their little ways, and are not misled...

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

...a generous, funny, prodigiously-creative woman, sharp of wit and occasionally of tongue, who was constantly inspired by the absurdity and wonder of the world about her.

Beautifully said.

Nine

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

That was a lovely piece. (And Rowling in the title will just get people to read it.)

[calimac.livejournal.com]

I am particularly impressed by the diabolical cleverness of turning your reference to Rowling, which points towards DWJ, the other way round, so now DWJ points to Rowling.

Am reminded also of two things: 1) UKL's perplexed reaction on reading that a school for wizards was a new and unprecedented idea; 2) the recent tendency to treat Dunsany as merely a precursor to and influence on Lovecraft.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[veronica-milvus.livejournal.com]

You know, I never heard of her before, and I don't know why. I should have been the right age for her books.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

You're right, of course: a sprat to catch a whale, as they say.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

The good news is you still are! :)

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

I am particularly impressed by the diabolical cleverness of turning your reference to Rowling, which points towards DWJ, the other way round, so now DWJ points to Rowling.

Indeed. I also admire the subliminal reference to John the Baptist in that phrase about "paving the way." At least DWJ managed to avoid having her head cut off.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

That's good to know - and, as sartorias notes downthread, it will draw some Potterheads to read it who might not otherwise.

[fjm.livejournal.com]

It was lovely.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

So glad you liked it.

[intertext.livejournal.com]

That was lovely, Charlie.

I like how so many of the tributes are subtly pointing out how much DWJ had done _before_ JKR, especially when "they" (and "she") always claimed such originality! And the silly title doesn't detract from how seriously great DWJ was.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

And the silly title doesn't detract from how seriously great DWJ was.

This is very true - and thank you.

[sheenaghpugh]

That's infuriating. It's very reminiscent of a recent headline in the US - "Franzen beaten to major book award". Not "Jennifer Egan wins major book award". It's as if journos have only heard of a few writers and feel obliged to frame everything in terms of them, in case we share this ignorance.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

I'd not heard the Franzen story. That really is annoying, especially when you look at it within the larger context of Franzenfreude (an unhappy neologism, but there you go).

[sovay]

It's still a lovely remembrance. Thank you for it.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

I only wish I'd been able to put more personal memories into it, but alas I was constrained by the form.

[aryky.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this.

[ewein2412]

The Guardian obit quotes DWJ as "generously" commenting that Rowling may have read her books and been influenced by them. A lovely gentle dig.

I have sent off a brief chiding note to the obituaries ed. at the Independent (which I probably would have done anyway, because the headline makes my blood boil); to wit, "An obituary celebrates a person's lifetime achievement. Ms. Jones's lifetime achievement was in her excellent and original novels, not in her serving as a herald for a more celebrated writer." Peasants.

[ewein2412]

I like the measured tone. It feels personal without being heartwrenching.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

I hope they print it - or at least that it hits home.