Madeleine L'Engle is gone

[dianeduane]

And so, to my great sorrow, passes one of the most senior, and certainly one of the most beloved, of this century's YA fantasy writers: one of the first of us to break out, over the course of years, into worldwide fame, and to general agreement that she "wasn't just writing kid stuff".

She was a gifted and powerfully imaginative writer with a graceful style. Unquestionably she was an influence on me, though perhaps not in the way people might think. I read her first few books in my late teens / early twenties; and while in a general way I liked what she was doing, I had personal niggles about the way she was doing it. Certainly there were things about A A Wrinkle in Time and A Swiftly Tilting Planet that made me think, Hmmm... I'm not so sure about this. If I was going to do something of this sort, I'd do it this way (...there you have it in a phrase, the eternal/internal certainty that they have it right of writers everywhere...) -- and the result, somewhat later, was So You Want to Be a Wizard.

Plainly the general similarity in themes between SYWTBAW and L'Engle's early work has been noticed, for our books do often enough get mentioned in the same breath. It's a development that would have astounded me if I'd known about it when I first met her. That was twenty-some years ago, when my first editor at Delacorte (where SYW... debuted) took me to a party that was being thrown by the publisher in Madeleine's honor. We had a few moments to sit down and chat, after we were introduced, and I went into a strange sort of shock/horror after a few minutes when she said to me, "By the way, I read your new one. I liked it very much. What's the next one about? When are we going to see it?"

The shock/horror was, I now think (a) because no new writer really expects one of the greats to say something like that to them, no matter how you may daydream about it: (b) because up until that point I had given the idea no consideration whatsoever. Srsly. If there are now eight-going-on-nine books in the Young Wizards series, I think we can all blame L'Engle, because I went home to Philly that night thinking "Hmmmm....", and had a long, long look toward at the Great South Bay and the Atlantic past the Jersey wetlands as the Metroliner headed south. Deep Wizardry, surely, has L'Engle's shadow lying long over it. I will very much miss the sense that the woman who cast it is still just over the horizon, still working.

...But if life, and life after, have gone the way she expected... she still is. (sigh) Take care, cousin. See you later.

Comments

[tortoises.livejournal.com]

I think I was 8 when my mother gave me A Wrinkle In Time, and through the years I've been slowly tracking down the rest of L'Engle's books and reading them. Her books were some of those that shaped my childhood. I'm sorry to see her go, but at least she lived a long life. And there's always Timeheart.

[trialia]

*nods quietly* We all have a lot to be thankful for as far as she's concerned. She'll be missed, even by those of us who never met her.

A Wrinkle in Time was my introduction to the genre of fantasy; I read it for the first time at the age of seven. That threw me into fantasy 'fandom' in a big way, and I haven't stopped since. I have Asperger's syndrome, and as you probably already know, we tend to develop obsessions centring around certain subjects, sometimes more than one at a time. Reading L'Engle set me on the path of an obsessive love for fantasy from which I've never turned back, and that I've only rarely regretted (usually when the muse won't cooperate). I owe her, and my only response to that is to do my best to pay it forward, as we all can.

As for blaming her for the rest of the Young Wizards series... maybe blame in your case, but I think a lot of us would thank her for that! Perhaps especially me, because Deep Wizardry has always been my personal favourite of the series. *smiles*

From what I believe... she's there, all right. In some way.

[zanda-myrande.livejournal.com]

I think she may have been (at least in large part) responsible for more kids starting to read fantasy than anyone till maybe Rowling. I know Wrinkle was very popular when I was just getting into books with words in them.

Incidentally, and off topic, I'm re-reading The Romulan Way, and I just wondered: after the Vulcans' disastrous encounter with the Orion pirates, did they name one of their months Ahhahr as a memorial? (And does this have anything to do with what Jim means in Rihannsu?)

[bodhibird.livejournal.com]

I've always suspected that "Jim" must be a rude name for a body part in Rihannsu--as if you're name is Richard but people call you "Dick". *g*

[ruisseau.livejournal.com]

And thinking about Deep Wizardry, I think it may be my favorite in the series and that may be due to how much I loved A Ring of Endless Light.

I do have a weakness for sentient cetaceans. :)

[phoebesmum.livejournal.com]

She was a wise, compassionate and intelligent woman, the like of whom is far too seldom seen.

[kadharonon.livejournal.com]

It's strange, I suppose. Just yesterday, I was looking at an old memory book of my college's Science Fiction and Fantasy Society. It had a picture of Madeleine L'Engle attending the opening of the society's library, and I was thinking how cool it must have been to meet her.

And now I never will.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

I won't say that Wrinkle... got me into SF because I'd read a good deal before I read it, when I was 12 or so. But a lot of what's in that book has stuck in my head more than 40 years later, whereas I would be hard pushed to remember more than the barest details of anything else I read around that time.

She'll be greatly missed.

[shima-sama.livejournal.com]

I lost A Swiftly Tilting Planet when our airplane had technical problems while still at the gate and we had to switch planes. I remember being really depressed, because it was brand new book. Then a friend of mine found out about it, and gave me her old copy--just like that, no questions asked. I wonder if someone out there has my copy of A Swiftly Tilting Planet--I certainly hope they enjoyed it as much as I did.

Finding out about this loss made me burst into tears, mostly unwelcomed, all real. To know she was as much a fan of SYWTBAW as the rest of us are makes it that much sadder that she's gone. Another fan fallen from our ranks.

Rest in peace, and see you later.

[fiddledragon]

Wow. Thank you.

My younger daughter (10) has a lot of problems - emotionally, medically, learning, etc...One of her problems had been reading comprehension up until these past 3 months or so.

A while back she was given a choice of any book to read in an effort that if she had a book that she was *interested* in, that she might be encouraged to retain more. She chose So You Want to be a Wizard. Her older sister already had a copy of it, and I told her we would both read it together...(we ended up reading it asynchronously, but yeah...we did eventually both read it). She *loved it*. She was frightened silly by it, but she loved it and immediately started on the next one. We had to have her put it down when she started getting nightmares. BUT the point is that she's started picking up other books more often...and actively enjoys reading now. She's still excited about your books, but she needs to work through some things so that she can actually sleep through the night :).

I think I'm going to re-read Madeleine L'Engle's books - it's been a *long* time...and based on that I'll probably introduce them to her, too.

Thank you, by the way :) Your books definitely helped my daughter find her way through to that breakthrough point of an interest in reading and reading comprehension.

[starkruzr.livejournal.com]

I credit L'Engle with helping to shape my mind when I was a child (you fall into that category too, btw). She was enormously influential on me.

Rest well, Madeleine L'Engle.

[djonn]

That does explain a lot about Deep Wizardry in particular -- although I feel like I ought to kick myself for not having picked up on that thematic connnection very long since. And I agree with trinity1986 on multiple counts; if Madeleine L'Engle is in some way responsible for kickstarting DW and its successors, that can only add points to her karma account with the higher Powers. And Deep Wizardry in particular occupies a very high slot not just in my list of favorite Duane books, but my list of all-time favorite books.

It occurs to me, too, that if Deep Wizardry can be said to draw inspiration from the Time trilogy, then Stealing the Elf King's Roses and its treatment of magic-ethics share a similar parallel to Arm of the Starfish and its sequels/successors.

[peachpastiche.livejournal.com]

I'm truly saddened by this great loss. Madeleine L'Engle's books were among the first fantasy that I read, and they have continued to be so much more than simple children's novels throughout the years. Many times when I was "thinking deep thoughts", so to speak, I would think of her work. There was always this beautiful kind of power in her work that I didn't see in much else, and it made me want to write so much, so I can certainly understand your feelings. I am so happy that she inspired you, and I hope that her work and yours will continue to inspire new writers for a long time to come.

[batyatoon]

[...oh, your icon. *snif*]

[peachpastiche.livejournal.com]

I KNOW, it's so terribly appropriate. Didn't think I'd get a chance to use it in such a um, suitable context...

[kvaadk.livejournal.com]

Like so many people, I was led into the world of fantasy by L'Engle. She could imbue her worlds with the rich tapestry of her faith without overwhelming the reader, and enchant and enthrall and teach. She was a wise woman whose gentleness sheathed a keen wit and powerful spirit. I will miss knowing she is in the world. But I believe, as I know she did from her many writings; and I believe you can trust your sense of her presence. Even now she is just over the horizon, working.

[readingredhead.livejournal.com]

I ran into L'Engle's books in the fourth or fifth grade and they were part of what prompted my love of the genre...without her, I doubtless never would have stumbled across So You Want to Be a Wizard. Or rather, I would have stumbled, but I wouldn't have looked back to pick up the book and begin to read.

So here's to YA sff writers -- past, present, and future -- for opening up so many worlds to so many children looking for a place to grow up that's slightly more interesting than home. L'Engle might be gone, but her influence certainly isn't.

[txvoodoo.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Diane, for your view on this. The influence is there in your work, but in the best way possible.

[satyapriya.livejournal.com]

I found "A Wrinkle in Time" at the school library, at a time when our classroom teacher had just read us part of "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" before declaring she was 'bored with this silly book' and moved us on to something more sensible.
I was hungry for imaginative books, and L'Engle was like a big pool of fresh water I could jump into.
Like you, I thought "oh, I'd write that differently, have that character more like that and less like that". As you say, hallmarks of the budding writer.
I've been thinking for some time to revisit L'Engle's works. A shame that I will now do it, and be unable to write and thank her.

Teachers

[zargon.livejournal.com]

I was luckier. We were actually assigned "A Wrinkle In Time" to read. We did have "The Hobbit" read to us. I miss grade school.

P.S. Nice icon picture!

Re: Teachers

[satyapriya.livejournal.com]

Half your luck that you got assigned such good books. What did we get: 'The Silver Sword', 'Lord of the Flies'(three years running), and 'The Outsiders'. All well and good, but nothing there to feed a budding sf writer.
Ta re the icon pic. Forget where I found it now. Anything that disguises me from the possible prying eyes of my workplace....

Re: Teachers

[zargon.livejournal.com]

Got "Lord of the Flies" (just once), but not the others. Didn't really get it. It was a buncha kids acting like the bullies I saw every day. How is real life "literature"?

I reccognized your icon as the first "award screen" from the Fairies game from Big Fish Games. I didn't get very far in the game. The difficulty ramped up *VERY* quickly. I was disappointed. I wanted to play it a lot more.

[tytso.livejournal.com]

It was approximately 24 years ago that I had the privilege of attending a retreat led by Madeleine L'Engle at the DeKoven Center, which was then run by the Sisters of the Community of St. Mary, one of the few orders of Episcopal Nuns. The topic of the retreat was silent prayer and meditation, and one of the key story and songs which she used to close her talks was that of Dame Julian of Norwich, and a song about her (http://www.lyricsdownload.com/unknown-julian-of-norwich-lyrics.html) written by Sydney Carter.

Loud are the bells of Norwich and the people come and go.
Here by the tower of Julian, I tell them what I know.

All shall be well, I'm telling you, let the winter come and go
All shall be well again, I know.

She was one of the most gracious persons that I had the privilege of meeting, and the world is poorer for her passing. I believe she selected those words as reassurance to the Sisters, who were about to shut down the retreat center and house at the former Racine College in Wisconsin, due to lack of new members willing to join their convent, to reassure them that somehow things would work out. (Which they have; the DeKoven Center (http://www.dekovencenter.pair.com) is still holding retreats today, with many volunteers sustaining their operations.) The words seem altogether appropriate for those who are mourning her departure from this mortal coil. Her books were always a joy to read, and very much shaped my growing up.

[batyatoon]

... okay, now I'm crying.

Thank you for writing this.

[danceswithlife]

Ms. L'Engle did a book signing at Other Change of Hobbit in Berkeley many years ago, and I was able to tell her in person how much her books meant to me. Plus I have an autographed set of the first three Winkle in Time books :-)

[dewline.livejournal.com]

Thank you for listening to her when you had the chance, when it mattered most to do so.

[gutroch.livejournal.com]

I'm atheist, but that didn't affect how much I enjoy her books. An Acceptable Time is one of my favorites...

[spectratrucha.livejournal.com]

I honestly can't remember which I read first: A Wrinkle in Time or SYWTBAW. I love both fiercely and can't imagine my imaginative life without them.

"Wrinkle," especially, introduced me to the concept of using the concept of science in a fantastical manner--not handwaving as much as playing. "Many Waters" made me take a look at the stories of my faith and question them. "Swiftly Tilting Planet" is still one of my favorite looks at how small action changes big things. I've never forgotten the images from these books--things that frighten me, things that thrill me, things that make my heart race with joy, and things that seem unbearably sad.

The only thing I'm sad about now was that I never thought to write her while I could, to tell her that.