I’m a couple of days late with this notice, and to tell you the truth, I don’t really have anything to say about the death of Russell Hoban that would be of interest to anyone, but I will probably be back to add to the list of links below as more notices and tributes to the great man appear on the Web, and I definitely plan to supplement this post with a visual tribute to Russell Hoban in the near future. So watch for updates!
UPDATE (16 December 2011): RCN’s VISUAL TRIBUTE TO RUSSELL HOBAN:
Look Here: TALES AND POEMS OF EDGAR ALLAN POE, illustrated by Russell Hoban, Part I
Look Here: TALES AND POEMS OF EDGAR ALLAN POE, illustrated by Russell Hoban, Part II
“I’m working on something now, and I worry I may drop dead before it’s finished… but come to think of it that’s true of any book you write.”
— Russell Hoban, in conversation with Will Self, 2010
FORMAL OBITUARIES:
guardian.co.uk > Russell Hoban Obituary by John Clute
io9 > R.I.P. Russell Hoban, Author of Over 50 Magical Children’s Books, Plus a Post-Apocalyptic Classic
New York Times > Russell Hoban, ‘Frances’ Author, Dies at 86. Here’s an excerpt that provides some facts about Hoban’s life:
Russell Conwell Hoban was born in Lansdale, Pa., west of Trenton, N.J., and north of Philadelphia, on Feb. 4, 1925. His parents were Ukrainian immigrants who opened a newsstand in Philadelphia. His father, who died when Russell was 12, also worked as an advertising manager for The Jewish Daily Forward.
After high school he attended art school in Philadelphia and served in the Army in Europe during World War II, earning a Bronze Star. At his death he was awaiting publication of a new book, “Soonchild,” due early next year.
“Writing was my father’s life,” Phoebe Hoban said Wednesday, “and when he died he had done what he needed to do.”
Mr. Hoban had lived in London since 1969. His first marriage ended in divorce. He is survived by his wife, the former Gundula Ahl; their three sons, Jake, Ben and Wieland; four children from his first marriage to Lillian Aberman: three daughters, Phoebe, Esmé and Julia, and a son, Brom; and 13 grandchildren.
“I think death will be a good career move for me.
People will say, ‘Yes, Hoban, he seems an interesting writer, let’s look at him again.’”
— Russell Hoban, interview (2002)
BONUS LINKS:
A.V. Club > Riddley Walker author Russell Hoban, interview by Todd VanDerWerff (April 30, 2010)
guardian.co.uk > Writers’ rooms: Russell Hoban — text by Russell Hoban, photo by Eamonn McCabe.
Ocelot Factory > THE HEAD OF ORPHEUS: A Russell Hoban Reference Page > An Interview with Russell Hoban by Edward Myers — originally published in The Literary Review in 1984.
wordsSHIFTminds > Russell Hoban the illustrator