The extraordinary science-fiction writer, poet, and essayist Thomas M. Disch has died, reportedly by suicide, on the 4th of July. He was 68.
You may know his best-known work, the novella The Brave Little Toaster (pictured), which was adapted to film as the acclaimed 1987 Disney cartoon. But Disch also wrote ten science fiction novels and scores of short stories that placed him at the center of the genre for their uncommon literary adroitness, dry wit and clear-eyed skepticism. Go read the lyrically beautiful On Wings Of Song (1979) immediately, please.
Disch’s primary calling, however, was as a poet. He published a half-dozen collections characterized by a mastery of poetic forms, and in 1995 published a collection of essays, The Castle of Indolence: On Poetry, Poets, and Poetasters, that was positively inspirational in its glowing appreciation and ruthless criticism of what he considered the best and worst tendencies in modern poetry. I kept it on my bedside table for periodic rereading and inspiration.
Finally, close to home here: Disch wrote numerous book reviews for Entertainment Weekly in its early days. You can find his witty takes on everything from the Random House Encyclopedia to an appreciation of Dr. Seuss.
A prodigiously talented writer,Disch never received the mainstream credit he was due. I don’t doubt this was one cause of his sad, all-too-early death.
Calling the Brave Little Toaster a Disney cartoon is misleading. Their involvment was minimal.
I did love The Brave Little Toaster (the book and the cartoon), and it’s sad that another cool literary voice has been silenced.
I LOVED the Brave Little Toaster cartoon! This is sad… “Why if we were all weiner-dogs, our problems would be solved!”
perhaps you should take that up with disney’s marketing group – as disney is plastered all over current versions of the movie.
Not a Disney Cartoon movie in the same sense Peter Pan was. Common mistake, along with Anastasia and the like, but a mistake that bothers me. Just because something is a cartoon, does not mean it’s Disney.
There are many things I would love to take up with Disney’s marketing department. Regardless, a group called Hyperion Pictures made the movie and Disney only owns the TV/video rights.
That’s very sad.
It’s sad to me that quite often I don’t get a chance to appreciate a person until after they’re gone. I loved The Brave Little Toaster, but I never heard of Thomas Disch until today. Though after this comment I will promptly go to my library and check out everything by him I can1
G’night, slot-head.
“The Brave Little Toaster” was in my cousin’s movie playlist when he was 2. I just got a wave of sickness over the thought of having to watch that again. Luckily, he’s 18.
It is still sad that we’ve lost a creative soul.
“The Brave Little Toaster” was atypical for Disch, except in terms of quality. Some will find his cynicism hard to take. But he was an outstanding writer. When a group of people names their favorite Disch novels, pretty much most of his novels are somebody’s favorite. Mine is 334, about a group of people living in a housing project in a decaying New York City in the 2020s.
The illness and death of his partner wiped out their savings, leaving Disch in difficult financial straits. Many, many creative people — the people EW celebrates — don’t have health insurance. Another reason we need universal health care.
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