I'm not going to do any sort of career overview of Crichton's work, as I haven't read any of his books in a long time (including his recent, controversial books, such as State of Fear, though I'll admit I'd like to). I'm also not going to write one of those weasly, self-serving "Yes, his books were fun, but..." posts that use the death of a famous person as an excuse to tear them down. Because really, take his writing for what it was, or don't, but you can't argue that he was, more than anything, a fiercely intelligent guy. Plus, I'll be damned if Jurassic Park wasn't one hell of a gripping novel.
No, the main point of this post is to inform anyone who doesn't already know, and to express my genuine sadness that Michael Crichton has left us.
Crichton was quite a mover when it comes to pop culture. He seemed to have his finger on all the paranoid impulses, and an uncanny way of publishing the right thing at just the right time. I'll miss him.
ReplyDeleteASIDE : Bill, I just wanted you to know that we're talking about "you" over at the Coosa Creek cabin.
ReplyDeleteRick - He was good at that, wasn't he? I sometimes wish he'd have backed off on that, but at his best that impulse could produce something like Jurassic Park, which is such a brilliant idea for an adventure novel, and so ridiculously entertaining, that it's hard to begrudge him.
ReplyDeleteFox - I have responded...