The final chapter

Alain Robbe-Grillet might have spent most of his career as a novelist trying to escape the traditional trappings of fiction - plot, pah! - but ultimately he couldn't escape the end of his biographical narrative, dying yesterday at the age of 85.

Sadly, it seems as though J G Ballard won't be long in following Robbe-Grillet to the great writers' room in the sky. He revealed in a recent interview that it was being diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in mid-2006 that prompted him into writing his autobiography, 'Miracles Of Life' - which not only sounds like a fascinating read but also reminds me that 'Millenium People' (the third installment of the trilogy also comprising 'Cocaine Nights' and 'Super-Cannes') has sat unread on my bookshelf for ages. That's going to have to change, once I've got 'Dorian' out of the way - Will Self in many ways being Ballard's natural successor.