February RIPs

How did I miss the death of Howard Zinn last week? He wrote A People's History of the United States, the best history book you'll ever read.

And Pernell Roberts, who was the only reason to watch Bonanza way back when. A handsome man with a great voice.

022110 And I've just learned that Dick Francis died on Valentine's Day. He was 89. He had an amazing career overall. A small man, not good-looking, who became a champion steeplechase jockey and rode for the Queen Mother for many years. After a short stint as a journalist reporting on horse racing (what else?), he started writing mysteries, most with a horse or racing related plot. He is one of my go-to guys when I want a decently written mystery with interesting characters and complicated plots and a leavening of dry British humor (I have about a dozen of his titles in my permanent library, and just today got three more at a thrift shop). After his wife's death, he tried writing without her and it wasn't the same. Then he tried writing with his son, a physicist, and that wasn't a good fit either. So I suppose he's left us to join his Mary wherever she is.