From: "Earthlink Bear Account"
Date: Wed Aug 1, 2001 11:22 am
Subject: Poul Anderson

Friends,

Poul Anderson passed away last night, July 31-August 1, around midnight.
During the afternoon, he received hundreds of emails and messages from
friends and readers and fellow writers, which Astrid and Karen printed out
and read to him. He died knowing (and how!) that he was loved and valued,
and hearing how much his work had entertained and moved so many. Though he
was weak at the end, there was no loss of mental capacity, and my last
conversation with him was slow but sparkling with the curiosity and
deep-seated gentlemanliness that Poul always had, and which was, I think,
built into his whole body and being.

He is survived by his wife and writing partner, Karen, his daughter Astrid,
brother John, grandchildren Erik and Alexandra, nieces Janet and Cathy, and
by millions of readers.

There will be a memorial, probably this Saturday, in the Bay Area, details
not yet worked out; I will send them later. I hope no one minds my inserting
two of my favorite photographs of Poul, one of him as a child with his
mother, Astrid, and one of Poul and Karen, visiting our house and reading an
essay written by Erik, with obvious delight. This is the Poul I will
remember. And on our shelves, many dozens of books, waiting to be re-read,
and some more waiting to be published.

Bravo!

Greg Bear

* * *

SF and I go back a loooong way; I cut my teeth, as it were, during the so-called New Age - basically, the '60s. Of all the authors who made their reputations then, Poul Anderson has always been one of the best. I can't begin to count the stories and novels of his I've devoured over the decades. Unlike some others who have faded, or drifted into senescence, Anderson;s imgination and writing stayed strong. I don't know if he's been awarded a Grand Master Hugo for lifetime contribution - if not, it's long overdue.

The letter above was posted at a Yahoo newsgroup I belong to: RFF (Reading For the Future), co-founded by (among others) Astrid Anderson Bear's husband Greg.

Saddened,

E'