Science fiction author Dan Simmons, RIP
by Séamus Bellamy · Boing BoingProlific author Dan Simmons has passed away at the age of 77. According to his obituary, Simmons died on February 11, with his family by his side.
Dan earned degrees in English and a graduate degree in education before moving on to teach elementary school. He made a go of it as a teacher for close to 20 years. So great was his gift as an educator that he was once named a finalist for Teacher of the Year in Colorado. More importantly, the kids he taught seemed to love him:
Every day after lunch, Dan told his students a daily instalment of an epic tale that started on the first day of school. As they listened, the students would color illustrations that he'd drawn for them. When the story finally came to an end on the last day of school, many recall being reduced to tears. This story would go on to become Dan's Hyperion cantos (1989), a critically acclaimed, four-part science fiction classic.
Understanding that the storyteller in him needed tending to, Simmons left his teaching career behind in 1987 to write full-time, in no small part due to the success of his first novel, Song of Kali. The book earned the World Fantasy Award in 1986. Over his long writing career, Simmons had published 31 short stories and novels on a diverse range of topics. My personal favorite: the delightfully twisted Drood, based on the work of Charles Dickens.
Even if you've never read his books, you may still have seen his work. In 2018, his novel The Terror was turned into a miniseries by AMC and man, it was a cracker.
If you're a fan of Simmons' work or just want to leave your condolences, it's possible to do so here.
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