NEWS: RIP Madeline L'Engle

CULTURE: RIP Madeline L'Engle

As a fan not only of science fiction, but of literature in general, it pains me greatly to announce to the SuicideGirls community the death of one of the great children's writers of all time, Madeline L'Engle Camp, who died today, September 7, at the age of 88.

L'Engle was responsible for one of the greatest, most influential novels of all time, A Wrinkle In Time, published in 1962 (after at least 26 rejections, because, as the author herself stated, it was "too different" during the start of the 1960s counterculture. The book follows the adventures of Meg Murray, her brother Charles Wallace Murray, and their friend, high school meathead Calvin O'Keefe as they journey across the galaxy to fight off the evil cloud that has enveloped it and find the Murray's missing father. Not only was it a very powerful, very beautiful coming-of-age story, but the combination of its psychadelic imagery and Christian themes would greatly inspire the upstart culture that would dominate the decade. It won the Newberry Award the subsequent year for best children's book (An award which she would be runner-up for in 1981), one of the best-known, most respected awards in all of literature.

She would become known as one of the greatest children's authors of all time, despite the author's continued assertions that she was just a regular author whose books were read by children. Considering that I, as an adult, still enjoy L'Engle's work, I would definitely agree with her there. I'd call her more of a family writer. And her influence was felt throughout all of literature.

Other works of hers include A Wind in the Door, (1973); A Swiftly Tilting Planet, (1978), which won an American Book Award; and Many Waters, (1986), the three of which also starred the Murray family and their adventures through time and space. Another of her series, which began with A Ring of Endless Light, (which was runner up for the Newberry in 1981) starred the Austin family, which appeared in nine volumes, one more than the eight of the Murrays.

As one of the greatest and most influential fantasy writers of all time, she will be missed. She wrote in a way that touched everyone from children to adults who read her works, even if they didn't share her overt spirituality.

Formus strongly recommends "A Wrinkle In Time" to anyone who hasn't already read it, and recommends that those who have paged through it read it again.

Rest in peace...

another sad day. first pavarotti, now this...

very sad

I can't count how many times I've read A Wrinkle in Time. All of her books were good, but AWIT is one of my all-time favorites. It set the foundation for the kind of material I enjoy reading today. The world is darker place now.

*Fat tears*

=[ Damn.

The first time I read A Wrinkle in Time, it was required summer reading for my Accelerated English 8 class. I'd hated it, simply because I was required to read it... it wasn't until three years later that I picked it up by choice and fell in love.

She will most certainly be missed.

I don't think we're allowed to be sad. I'm not sure she would want it that way. Just think of her out there somewhere, floating through time and space, living the adventures that she wrote about...

Go pick up your copy of A Wrinkle in Time...read it...and smile.

Yes, I saw this yesterday. I was in a state of shock all day.

My 4th grade teacher read "A Wrinkle in Time" to us. It really changed my life. It was the first thing that stretched my mind, and started my love of books and reading, especially science fiction. I had a very strong "I WANT MORE!!!" feeling. I remember stumbling on "A Swiftly Tilting Planet" and going "THERE IS MORE!!! YAY!!!".

Even today, hearing the name "Charles Wallace" gives me a funny feeling and takes me back.

Thank you Ms. L'Engle, and my 4th grade teacher. She also read us the "Narnia" books.

So now I have about 300 SF paperbacks on my shelves, but I don't have either of those books. I think it's time for a visit to Amazon.

Agh god, no no no no no!

RIP, Ms. L'Engle.

Not sure If I have read any of her works read so many over the years being the hard core Sci Fi fan. but any Sci fi writer passing is a sad event as there are so few and the number decreasing

That's really sad. She was one of the two authors (along with Isaac Asimov) that really got me interested in literature. Madeline, you will be missed.

A Wrinkle In Time was required reading for me early on. After that I couldn't stop reading her books. Once I read all of hers I moved on to other authors and never looked back. Rest in peace dear girl.

i heard a tribute on npr yesterday and cried. she was so amazing. her books made a huge difference in my life. rest in peace.

Very big bummer.

A wrinke in time was one of my favorite novels growing up, how sad....will have to re-read it her honor soon

Definitely a huge loss. I don't know how many times I read her books as a teen and into my 20s.

dude. that sucks.

Dang!

Oh, this makes me so sad. I loved her work.