Newcastle born writer dies. I’ve read The North of England Home Service…he also wrote the novels ALMA COGAN and FULLALOVE. Plus three books of non-fiction.
I always enjoyed reading his articles: direct and readable.
He died of cancer. He was only 61.

Here’s an extract of Lee Brackstone’s obit. “I’ll miss him. And I’ll miss the books he won’t write”.

“I’ll remember Gordon as a man who made me laugh. At the world, but mostly at myself. I’ll also remember him as someone who loved people, friendship, the good times. Someone who was constantly intellectually restless and yet absolutely fulfilled at home in Chelsea (a Geordie in Chelsea, I ask you!) with Carol, his wife, and his dog. A beautiful bag of contradictions. I’ll remember a writer who acknowledged it was the world and events that shaped his art (so often it’s the reverse) and a man who saw-through the bullshit to find ballast in those moments when we feel most lacking in gravity.

Mostly, I’ll miss him. And I’ll miss the books he won’t write. We have lost one of the great literary innovators of these times; a writer, I think, as crucial to our understanding of ourselves as De Lillo is to American culture. He’d blanche at these comparisons of course … And yet secretly, love them.”

Faber & Faber
http://www.faber.co.uk/article/2009/7/gordon-burn-tribute

Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/jul/20/gordon-burn-obituary

Timesonline
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article6723368.ece

The Herald
http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/obituaries/display.var.2521490.0.Gordon_Burn.php

alt.obituaries
http://groups.google.co.uk/group/alt.obituaries/browse_thread/thread/d012bcf9d46309c1

Liverpool Daily Post
http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/obituaries/2009/07/24/obituary-gordon-burn-92534-24228237/

Independent
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/boyd-tonkin-the-master-of-our-modern-myths-1758360.html

Lasting Tribute
http://www.lastingtribute.co.uk/tribute/burn/3117496