Author J.G. Ballard dies aged 78 (Crash, Empire of the Sun)

[f1reverb]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090420/D97LTB6G0.html

"Author J.G. Ballard dies aged 78

Apr 19, 9:53 PM (ET)

By DAVID STRINGER

LONDON (AP) - Author J.G. Ballard, a survivor of a Japanese prison camp whose vision was so dark and distinctive it was labeled "Ballardian" and who reached a wide audience with the autobiographical "Empire Of The Sun," died Sunday, his agent said. He was 78." . . .

" , , , Spielberg wasn't the only filmmaker drawn to Ballard. His 1973 novel "Crash," which explored contentious themes about people who derive sexual pleasure from car accidents (and which featured a character named James Ballard), was made into a 1996 film by David Cronenberg."

[JackF]

Empire of the Sun was an excellent book. After Speilberg made the movie, I was struck by how closely the movie actually followed the story line of the book. I guess Ballard was his own best script writer.