2009 Books - Deaths

Deaths

• January 1 – Johannes Mario Simmel, 84, Austrian novelist and screenwriter
• January 27 – John Updike, 76, American novelist (Rabbit series)
• February 20 – Christopher Nolan, 43, Irish poet and author (choking)
• February 25 – Philip José Farmer, 91, American science fiction writer
• March 13 – James Purdy, 94, American novelist, poet and playwright
• March 31
  • Jarl Alfredius, 66, Swedish journalist
  • Michael Cox, 60, British novelist and biographer
• April 14 – Maurice Druon, 90, French historical novelist
• April 19 – J. G. Ballard, 78, British novelist
• May 6 – Lev Losev, 71, Russian-American poet
• May 17 – Mario Benedetti, 88, Uruguayan writer
• June 2 – David Eddings, 77, American novelist
• July 6 – Vasily Aksyonov, 76, Russian novelist
• July 19 – Frank McCourt, 78, Irish-American memoirist and Pulitzer Prize winner
• July 23 – E. Lynn Harris, 54, African-American novelist (heart disease)
• July 25 – Stanley Middleton, 89, British novelist
• July 27
  • Aeronwy Thomas, 66, British translator and writer
  • Michaël Zeeman, 50, Dutch literary critic, poet and writer
• July 31 – Tim Guest, 34, British writer
• August 2 – Adolf Endler, 78, German writer
• August 4 – Blake Snyder, 51, American screenwriter and author
• August 5 – Budd Schulberg, 95, American screenwriter and novelist
• August 6
  • Jack T. Kirby, 70, American historian
  • Willibrordus S. Rendra, 73, Indonesian poet
• August 7 – Danko Popović, 81, Serbian writer
• August 8 – Alfonso Calderón, 78, Chilean writer and poet
• August 9 – Thierry Jonquet, 55, French writer
• August 10
  • Josef Burg, 97, Ukrainian Yiddish writer
  • Merlyn Mantle, 77, American author
• August 16 – Alistair Campbell, 84, New Zealand poet
• August 18
  • Dic Jones, 75, Welsh poet
  • Hugo Loetscher, 79, Swiss author
  • Fernanda Pivano, 92, Italian writer
• August 19 – Donald M. Grant, 82, American science fiction publisher
• August 20 – Karla Kuskin, 77, American children's author
• August 22 – Elmer Kelton, 83, American Western novelist
• August 25
  • Bob Carroll, 73, American historian and author
  • Sergey Mikhalkov, 96, Russian writer and poet
• September 3 – Christine D'Haen, 85, Belgian poet
• September 4 – Keith Waterhouse, 80, British author and playwright
• September 6
  • Catherine Gaskin, 80, Irish-born Australian novelist
  • Nada Iveljić, 79, Croatian writer
• September 10 – Lyn Hamilton, 65, Canadian author
• September 11 – Jim Carroll, 60, American author
• September 12
  • William Hoffman, 84, American novelist
  • Antônio Olinto, 90, Brazilian writer
• September 13 – Sarah E. Wright, 80, American novelist
• September 15 – Trevor Rhone, 69, Jamaican playwright
• September 19 – Milton Meltzer, 94, American historian and author
• September 21 – Junzo Shono, 88, Japanese author
• September 22 – Kole Čašule, 88, Macedonian essayist, dramatist and short story writer
• September 24 – Nelly Arcan, 35, Canadian novelist (suicide by hanging)
• September 25 – Willy Breinholst, 91, Danish author
• October 1
  • Otar Chiladze, 76, Georgian writer
  • Cintio Vitier, 88, Cuban poet
• October 4 – Veikko Huovinen, 82, Finnish writer
• November 29 – Robert Holdstock, 61, British writer
• November 30 – Milorad Pavić, 80, Serbian writer
• December 5 – William Lederer, 97, American author
• December 7
  • Carlene Hatcher Polite, 77, American novelist
  • Pyotr Vail, 60, Russian essayist and journalist
• December 15 – Courtlandt Bryan, 73, American author
• December 19 – Loren Singer, 86, American novelist
• December 20 – Vera Rich, 73, British poet, journalist
• December 23 – Grigory Baklanov, 86, Russian novelist
• December 25
  • Vrindavanam Venugopalan, 74, Indian journalist
  • Rachel Wetzsteon, 42, American poet (suicide)
• December 26]]
  • Dennis Brutus, 85, South African poet
  • Norval White, 83, American author