Beryl Bainbridge: The art of facing death

By Mad Dog
Published: Jul 12, 2010

Beryl Bainbridge, a real writer, died on July 2nd. Last year, she wrote a piece about death. Here’s a sample: "I think of death a lot, indeed always have, although when young I had a belief that it was a long way off. Now, it isn’t, and I continually think of how I would prefer to pass from light to darkness. I don’t want to be run down by traffic, be shot by a madman, or suffer a sudden shock to the heart. I would like, if possible, to be so conscious of what was coming that I had time to write down a few thoughts on paper. I would remember my parents, the love I once felt for them, and for my husband who left so many years ago, and try to put into words the joy my dear children have brought me." And here’s all of the piece.