Rest in Peace - Thomas M. Disch
Locus reports that Thomas M. Disch committed suicide on the fourth of July. He was found in his apartment by a friend who lives a few blocks away.
According to Ellen Datlow, “Tom had been depressed for several years and was especially hit by the death of his longtime partner Charles Naylor. He also was very worried about being evicted from the rent controlled apartment he lived in for decades.”
Which makes the first lines of his last post on his blog, even more tragic: “Short of succumbing to the madness of anorexia, I doubt I am likely to experience actual starvation before I die.”
Fuck, I’m stunned.
Although I have never gotten around to reading Disch, I knew his works were held in high regard. Camp Concentration and 334 are both science fiction classics I had been meaning to pick up sooner than later. His latest “The Word of God” was published by Tachyon this summer. And now the author isn’t among us anymore. I don’t know why this news hit so hard , as I never met or knew Mr. Disch on a personal level, but I’m visibly shaken by this. It is a tragic loss. For the Science Fiction genre, for literature in general and most importantly for everyone who held him dear. My thoughts go out to them.
He will live on in his books and the poetry he left us. Rest in peace, Thomas Disch.
