The Passing of William Styron

Today, I awoke to the news that William Styron has died. In this fast paced news society - the word of Styron's death does not even make the top 10 news stories on Google News, CNN or FOX. In fact, Pamela Anderson and David Hasselhoff's reunion on Baywatch received higher billing.

Forbes.com had the most appropriate opening to the news of Styron's death:
"They were the children of Hemingway and Faulkner and survivors of World War II: young, muscular writers who lived hard, worshipped the craft and believed that through the Great American Novel, they could capture the world. Norman Mailer. James Jones. Irwin Shaw.
And William Styron." (Forbes.com)

In April 2000, William Styron came to Spartanburg as the annual Friends of the Libraries speaker. Styron was about 75 when he visited. I remember how tired Styron looked as he greeted guests at the front door of the Cleveland House at Converse College. He was pleasant and cordial, but he looked like a man who, as Forbes put it, had lived hard. He reminded me of my grandfather.

Following the reception, Styron was scheduled to speak for 45 minutes in front of 250 at Converse's Daniel Recital Hall. Honestly, I was not sure if he could pull it off. I was wrong. Styron stood before an enthusiastic group and he delivered. He read from his books, he told stories and jokes. He made us laugh. He gave us a peek inside the dark world of alcoholism, war and depression. He made us think.

Today, the news of Styron's death may go relatively unnoticed, but his influence on American literature will not.

Photo Credit: Photograph: Eamonn McCabe/Guardian