I couldn't agree more. Banks had an uncanny knack of exploring issues that turn out to hit much closer to home than it seems initially. That includes his own demise: when he was diagnosed a few months ago with the disease that killed him today, he was about to finish his latest and now final novel The Quarry (review 1, review 2) about the final weeks in the life of a man in his 40s who has terminal cancer.
His comment at the time when hearing the news about his own condition was that he was "officially very poorly"'. With typical dark humor he then asked his girlfriend to do him the honour of "becoming his widow", which she accepted. Remarkable.

Last edited by alternaut; 06/11/13 07:27 PM. Reason: added review

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