RIP: John Leonard, 1939-2008

Even as the death of author Michael Crichton is still fresh in our minds, another giant in the world of literature has been taken to that enormous bookstore in the sky: John Leonard, author and critic, has died at the age of 69 from lung cancer.

While John Leonard himself may not be a household name, you will probably be familiar with a few of the authors he helped propel to literary stardom, most notably Grabriel Garcia Marquez and Toni Morrison. I came across this interesting article from the Washington Post, which says in part:

Mr. Leonard was a steadfast promoter of many literary friends, including Morrison. He also was credited with launching Márquez’s reputation among American readers after the Colombian writer received mixed reviews in France for his masterwork, "One Hundred Years of Solitude."

After serving as the editor for the New York Times Book Review from 1970 to 1983, Leonard continued his work in a variety of places:

He left the newspaper in 1983 and began freelancing for publications ranging from the New York Review of Books to TV Guide. He also wrote a monthly column on books for Harper’s Magazine, was a television critic for New York magazine and a media critic for "CBS News Sunday Morning." For many years, he was a literary critic on NPR’s "Fresh Air" program.

It’s always sad when someone of such great intellect and influence passes away. But like all other literary greats, Mr. Leonard will continue to live on through his own influence and in his writing. My deepest sympathies go out to his family, friends and fans around the world.

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