Michael Crichton dies age 66
Michael Crichton dies age 66
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deviant

Original Poster:

4,316 posts

240 months

Thursday 6th November 2008
quotequote all
I was not aware he was ill. Such a shame. I always enjoyed his books.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20081105/ten-jurassic-p...

The news said:
Jurassic Park author Michael Crichton has died in Los Angeles at the age of 66, according to his website. Skip related content
The creator of the popular TV drama ER died "unexpectedly" after a private battle with cancer, his family said.

Crichton, a medical doctor turned novelist, has sold than 150 million of his books worldwide.

His family said in a statement on the website: "While the world knew him as a great story teller that challenged our preconceived notions about the world around us - and
entertained us all while doing so - his wife Sherri, daughter Taylor, family and friends knew Michael Crichton as a devoted husband, loving father and generous friend who inspired each of us to strive to see the wonders of our world through new eyes."

"He did this with a wry sense of humor that those who were privileged to know him personally will never forget."

Crichton was born in Chicago on October 23, 1942 and wrote his first novels under pen names while attending Harvard Medical School.

The Andromeda Strain, which was published in 1969, became his first best-seller.

In addition to Jurassic Park and its sequel, The Lost World, which became blockbuster Hollywood films, Crichton wrote Congo, The Terminal Man, Prey and State of Fear
Edited by deviant on Thursday 6th November 06:34

TadKa

1,130 posts

220 months

Thursday 6th November 2008
quotequote all
crikey. thats a bit of a shock. I've really enjoyed some of his books.

bob1179

14,138 posts

239 months

Thursday 6th November 2008
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One of the first proper 'sci-fi' books I read as a youngster was 'The Andromeda Strain', I still have the dog eared copy at home.

I'm sad to hear he has passed away as I have read many of his books.

RIP frown

Don

28,378 posts

314 months

Thursday 6th November 2008
quotequote all
Crichton - bit a popular legend in the sci-fi / science-thriller market.

I found his books "lightweight" but very enjoyable. Perfect holiday reading.

They largely translated very well into films too and despite the odd, notable, flop he will always be remembered alongside the filmmakers for Jurassic Park.

66 is too young. Very sad.

Taita

7,995 posts

233 months

Thursday 6th November 2008
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A real shame, I loved his books. RIP matey.

Jasandjules

72,606 posts

259 months

Thursday 6th November 2008
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Wow, that is a loss to us all.

Some cracking books of his I read.

NDA

25,628 posts

255 months

Thursday 6th November 2008
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Very sad and news to me too that he was ill.

A first rate author of his particular genre - some excellent books over the years that have had me enthralled.

deviant

Original Poster:

4,316 posts

240 months

Thursday 6th November 2008
quotequote all
Don said:
I found his books "lightweight" but very enjoyable. Perfect holiday reading.
I think thats why I always enjoyed reading his books. He always managed to strike a balance between giving enough information to keep you wanting to read but without swamping you with an over complex story line....as you say....great books to take on holiday and spend a few days reading.

Balmoral Green

42,561 posts

278 months

Thursday 6th November 2008
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Read the full page Obituary in today's Times, sad loss.

Sciroccology

29,908 posts

260 months

Thursday 6th November 2008
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Hopefully, they'll find some of his DNA in some amber and be able to bring him back to life.

mybrainhurts

90,809 posts

285 months

Friday 14th November 2008
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Copied from www.numberwatch.co.uk, the website of Prof John Brignell :

Prof John Brignell said:
Michael Crichton

Yet another great general in the war against junk climate science has been struck down prematurely. Though he found fame and fortune as a writer and director of popular fantasy, much of his latter years were devoted to that great battle. He was so successful at it that the warmers withdrew from debate after he led a team that thrashed them.

The establishment media, however, almost completely ignored this aspect of his work. The Times, typically, managed a whole page obituary without mentioning it. He had a big problem with boobies who could not distinguish fantasy from reality. The Prince of Wales, for example, called for a committee to be set up to discuss the imaginary threat of “Grey Goo” following publication of his fantasy novel Prey.

Crichton was not only an inspiration for Number Watch (see, for example, religion) he was also one of the most generous of the donors who enabled it to continue.

The loss to those who still care about real science is substantial. He was too prominent a figure to be cast aside (unlike David Bellamy, for example, who was banished by the BBC for publicly uttering religious disbelief) and his analyses of the elements of the scare was accurate and incontrovertible, which made him a hate figure among the believers.

It is a cliché, but we shall not see his like again.

hot metal

2,019 posts

223 months

Friday 14th November 2008
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RIP frown

skip_1

3,514 posts

220 months

Friday 14th November 2008
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Awww man, no way frown

Really enjoyed his books.