TOP 100 BOOK SITES
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| Eragon's Guide to Alagaësia Christopher Paolini's fantasy series Inheritance has sold more than 22m copies. Now Eragon's Guide to Alagaësia issues readers with an invitation from Eragon Shadeslayer to become a new Rider feeds.guardian.co.uk |
Raymond Carver’s Life and Stories Carol Sklenicka’s biography and a long-overdue “Collected Stories” spotlight Carver’s growth as a writer and illuminate his poisonous relationship with the editor Gordon Lish. feeds.nytimes.com |
Richard Whitecross obituary ØOur father Richard Whitecross, who has died after suffering from Alzheimer's disease aged 64, had an incredibly varied and full life – as a publisher, campaigner, translator and devoted family man – characterised by his generous, gentle spirit, quiet courage and offbeat sense of humour. He had an innate ability to touch the lives of people he met.As a "war baby", far younger than his brothers Mike and David, Richard spent much of his childhood alone; this solitary upbringing fuelled his love of books, and led to his reading English at Aberystwyth University. His adventurous spirit exhibited itself early on, when after university he travelled to Kenya to visit David and embarked on various escapades – climbing Kilimanjaro, hitchhiking through the Sahara, and visiting nomadic tribes with a photographer – before being mugged in a shantytown, which gave him a distinctive machete scar on his cheek.Always in search of fresh experiences, Richard began a new life as a publisher in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Soon after his arrival, he met a lecturer, Cristina, and fell in love. They were married six months later.The political situation in Latin America was deteriorating, and after the 1973 military coup in Chile, Richard and Cristina became politically active, attending rallies and hiding refugees in their apartment, at great personal risk. Like thousands of others in Argentina's "dirty war", the couple were arrested by the secret police and "disappeared". Lucky to survive, they were imprisoned for six months inside the notorious Villa Devoto detention centre in Buenos Aires, but thanks to a concerted campaign by friends, family, Amnesty International and Reuters, they were eventually released and exiled.Twelve years ago, Richard first started exhibiting signs of forgetfulness, causing problems with his work as a freelance translator. Cristina began to suspect it might be Alzheimer's, but it took two years for the diagnosis to be confirmed. From someone who had been so patient, thoughtful and kind, he was transformed by bouts of paranoia, hallucinations and anger. His deterioration was rapid and heartbreaking. Mercifully, once this initial stage had passed, he regained his sense of humour and good nature, even as his memory waned. He still responded to jazz and to the Marx Brothers films he had always enjoyed, and remained a loving father and husband to the end.He is survived by Cristina, us and his beloved golden retriever Tommy.PublishingArgentinaguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds feeds.guardian.co.uk |
Deco Mecca A chronicle of the slummier side of South Florida, with a focus on how South Beach rose from the wreckage that was 1970s-era Miami Beach. feeds.nytimes.com |
Lessons from Kate Braestrup's 'school for love' The author and Unitarian minister returns this week with 'Marriage and Other Acts of Charity,' an exploration of love and commitment. rssfeeds.usatoday.com |