J.G. Ballard R.I.P. (11/15/1930-4/19/2009)
I particularly hate it when “rebels” die — there are already so few of them/us. Sometimes it seems like virtually everyone you meet these days in the world is a slave to the profit motive/capitalist imperative: “What’s the meaning of life?” “To make money!” J.G. Ballard, and another of my relatively recently deceased role models, W.S. Burroughs, both refused to prostitute their writing, and they both refused to shmooze and “network” merely to further their “careers.” Both had a hatred of bourgeois hypocrisy and phony politeness, while at the same time being deeply polite and courteous, almost to a fault …
But for now, let us think of ways to publicly mourn one of the greatest thinkers and poets of the past century. By some irony, “The Complete Short Stories of J.G. Ballard” is reportedly soon to be published in the United States, complete with two additional stories not included in the U.K. edition. Short stories, more than novels, may appropriately suit the trend of the increasingly shorter attention span of the human populace, who demand more flash ads, tiny videos and music quotations as they read their two-minute, two-page articles on the Internet. I suggest that for the next month (or year), readers shut out everything else and read ONLY J.G. Ballard novels, short stories, essays, interviews and reviews. Your mind, language, and outlook are guaranteed to be permanently altered…
“Death always presents the face of surprised recognition,” wrote William S. Burroughs. He also advised all of us to “Stay out of hospitals,” and “Avoid Doctors.” Well, even though I had been concerned about J.G. Ballard’s health after hearing two years ago that he had been diagnosed with “advanced” prostate cancer, I still felt a kind of unthinking complacency mixed with my concern: “Almost every human male has prostate cancer when he dies; it acts very slowly and can take decades to kill a man.” To be honest, having seen him recently in October 2008, I really didn’t think he would die THIS SOON. And when I found out he had died — I had arrived home from a 9-hour bus trip today to hear the news on our answering machine — well, my first thought was, “There’s no thinker left alive that I can totally trust. They’re all dead.”
For the past two or more years Ballard had been undergoing state-of-the-art, high-tech treatment from a young doctor who reportedly was trying every new medical breakthrough remedy or procedure which promised “hope” for Ballard’s condition. Recently, however, Ballard had been rushed to a hospital, and after sustained care there had returned to the home to his longtime (40-plus years) companion, Claire Walsh. The latest word was that he had recently required around-the-clock care by visiting professional nurses, which sounded somewhat alarming. Still, I maintained calm. Now I wish I had tried to telephone him and talk one last time, even if just for a minute. I think I expected Ballard to live at least as long as Burroughs, who reached the age of 83, even after having been “a junkie” for years of his life. By a strange logic, I felt that since Ballard hadn’t been a junkie, he should live even longer than 83. Well, I was wrong. And now the world will miss his unique, witty, and sometimes acerbic commentaries on itself. We miss him and are grateful for his dark sense of humor and generous output.
– V. Vale, RE/Search founder back in 1977, San Francisco
April 20th, 2009 at 9:03 am
[...] Moorcock + Iain Sinclair + David Pringle + Jeff VanderMeer + Christopher Priest + Jack Womack + V. Vale + Toby [...]
April 20th, 2009 at 10:02 am
It seems fitting that Mr. Ballard warned all his readers of his condition last year so that his death didn’t come as a complete surprise. In a bigger, worldwide context, he’d been warning us of such impending disaster for decades. I never met him, except in his books, but he left an indelible impression on me and (I think) on everyone I ever passed his books on to over the years. He will be missed; Without his wisdom, the world seems less safe already. RIP, JGB.
April 20th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
He will indeed be sorely missed and I started re-reading the short story collection on hearing the sad news.
There is now a deep void here but I am imagining the interesting, stimulating conversation happening NOW between WSB, Gysin, Trocchi and Kathy Acker etc. in another place.
April 20th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
PS…and of course with JG Ballard too.
April 20th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
I have been immersing myself in Mr. Ballard’s total ouvre for many years and far from giving me a limited perspective on the world has opened my mind up to all the possibilities around me. Even a seemingly routine car trip into work takes on a magical edge not previously glimpsed. I will always be grateful to you for making my passage through this life a better and more enriching one. You have been my best friend.
April 21st, 2009 at 10:21 am
I’ll tell you how we can commemorate J.G. Ballard, besides your excellent suggestion that we read his works for the next month: if you are a male over 40, get your prostate checked out. I’m going to do both.
Bend over for Uncle Jim!
April 21st, 2009 at 10:54 pm
I heard the news of J.G. Ballard’s death when NPR replayed an interview with him from 1988 on Tuesday. It struck me that it was the first time I had ever heard his voice. I largely discovered Ballard’s work through this site and his writing has become one of the great joys of my life. Good advice on the prostate exam, too.
April 23rd, 2009 at 5:11 pm
A true inspiration: I used to sit in my room with a copy of The Drowned World and draw scenes the book that spawned in my imagination, like, I HAD to draw them out. His narration was first-rate, his command of English was incredible.
April 25th, 2009 at 11:42 am
My lament for J.G. Ballard:
http://prelingerlibrary.blogspot.com/
April 27th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
The world will end like a J.G. Ballard story. Hard to say whether it’s a pity that he won’t see it. Surely the world is not as interesting without him. At least we have his writings; Thank you to those who were with him and helped to interest others in his most excellent work.
April 28th, 2009 at 1:04 am
[...] accumulating at Ballardian (notably from Michael Moorcock, and Bookkake contributor Supervert), and this piece by V. Vale (publisher of Re/Search, which I’ve been meaning to write about for some time). And then of [...]
May 7th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
I remember listening to Ballard when he was the subject of “Desert Island Discs”
on the BBC in the mid 1980′s. When asked to recall a tune that he most associated with his childhood years he picked “The Teddy Bear’s Picnic”. And as the vintage recording crackled over the airwaves I was aware I was hearing it in a totally new context…
“If you go down to the woods today, you’d better go in disguise/ If you go down to the woods today you’re in for a big surprise!”
So! There was a malevolent edge to this nursery song I had forgotten about…and all the more sinister when you think about his childhood in Shanghai.
A wonderful, mischievous mind.