Thursday 18 October 2012

Why am i sad about Bryce?


I’ve just learned via his Facebook page, that Australian author, Bryce Courtney has pancreatic cancer, and his latest book to be published for sale in November (he always releases just prior to Christmas) will be his last.

Readers either love his books, or hate them.

There’s no middle ground with Bryce.

Before becoming Australia’s most celebrated and awarded author, he was an advertising copy writer, then Creative Director at one of the countries largest agencies – his most famous ad, Louis the Fly is immortal.

His first book, The Power of One is thought to be partly auto biographical, based on his life as a white child growing up in Johannesburg. If you haven’t read it – do. What a life! Even if half is true, WOW. Like most classic blockbuster books it was made into a movie which I recall was also entertaining.

He’s written saga’s, triologies, short stories and advertisements.

He's received so many literary awards and has been recognized for his charity work

Oh how I cried reading April Fools Day. I had just lost a friend to AIDS, one of the first wave of young gay men in Australia to be struck down by this horrid disease. Even when it's relating to jokes on APril 1, I hear those three words, and think of Damen (Bryce's son) and Paul (my mate) and the sadness that surrounds the death of young people.

My bookclub in Yokohama enjoyed Jessica which was rather pleasing as it was my recommendation. It was interesting to hear the comments from ladies from other cultures on Australian history.

If you haven’t read his books, please do.

I have enjoyed so many of Bryce’s books over the years and didn’t realize until I read of his illness this evening that he even meant anything to me.

But in a weird way he does. When I read of his illness, I gasped and thought how sad.

From what little i know, pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggresive, painful and unrelenting of the C's. Like many thousands of Australians, and his readers world wide, I wish him a pain free existence, surrounded by loved ones and his animals.

In fact, I wish for everyone to be pain free, for there to be no more cancer of any kind, and for people to simply go in their sleep. Watching someone you love suffer is such a burden.

With friendship
x

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