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Original poster

Fay Weldon has died.

27 replies

heldinadream · 04/01/2023 17:34

Immense role model for women of my age (67). Fearless writer. Humorous feminist. Utter legend.

I loved her. Her work, her wickedness, her confidence, her chutzpah, her smile. RIP Fay. 💖

OP posts:
HuntingoftheSnark · 04/01/2023 17:34

Totally agree. I loved her too.

Whiskeypowers · 04/01/2023 17:35

She was a force of nature and an incredible woman.
very sad news l.

Original poster
heldinadream · 04/01/2023 17:37

Guardian.
www.theguardian.com/books/2023/jan/04/writer-fay-weldon-dies-aged-91
www.theguardian.com/books/2023/jan/04/fay-weldon-obituary

I'm actually crying. Not much makes me cry nowadays.

OP posts:
LindorDoubleChoc · 04/01/2023 17:37

Oh no Sad. I used to work for her literary agents. She was an amazing woman and I have read most of her novels. But ... 91, can't be too sad about it.

Original poster
heldinadream · 04/01/2023 17:40

LindorDoubleChoc · 04/01/2023 17:37

Oh no Sad. I used to work for her literary agents. She was an amazing woman and I have read most of her novels. But ... 91, can't be too sad about it.

I know, I'm not so much sad that she's died, I'm sad for so much else. She was such a shit hot feminist and here we still are, fighting fighting fighting. Trying to articulate how things are for women. She was such an immense voice for women.

OP posts:
crossstitchingnana · 04/01/2023 17:43

I've read everything of hers, she was amazing.

So sad, what a loss.

Foreverhope1 · 04/01/2023 17:48

Sad about Fay Weldon. The first grown up book I read was a copy of The Life and Loves of a She Devil from my mum's bookshelf aged 14. She was smart, worldly, unpretentious, wickedly funny, deliciously cynical & able to skewer absurd politics with wit rather than cruelty. Love her

KohlaParasaurus · 04/01/2023 17:58

By coincidence, I reread The Lives and Loves of a She Devil yesterday (start to finish, one sitting, I'd forgotten how good it is) and started reading Death of a She Devil today. Absolutely loved her books back when I was a young woman juggling lots of children, a full on career, and ordinary men who had ghastliness lying just beneath the surface. The earlier ones cast light on the experiences of my mother's generation, the later ones were my contemporaries and me.

I hope she's causing an uproar wherever she is.

LMBoston · 04/01/2023 18:07

Another great writer gone (albeit after a bloody good innings). I read Puffball on holiday years ago and it’s stuck in my head ever since — all her novels seem to have a sense of the sinister underneath the wit and inventiveness… a bit like Mantel in that respect, I think. Top lass.

NecklessMumster · 04/01/2023 18:10

She was a massive influence on me as a younger woman, helped me articulate myself. RIP Fay

LadyGardenersQuestionTime · 04/01/2023 18:13

What a fabulous woman she was - I'm going to reread some and thank her for her fierceness and honesty.

AutumnCrow · 04/01/2023 18:14

Awesome writer and feminist. Farewell, Fay.

happystory · 04/01/2023 18:19

Agreed. I read many of her books while mid teens before I had really formed my feminist or literary views but knew even then that I was blown away.

Original poster
heldinadream · 04/01/2023 18:20

NecklessMumster · 04/01/2023 18:10

She was a massive influence on me as a younger woman, helped me articulate myself. RIP Fay

That's such a good way of saying it - that she helped you to articulate yourself.
She articulated women's lives at a time when it was still new and unique to do so in a way that was both angry but also funny.

OP posts:
ICanHideButICantRun · 04/01/2023 18:22

Her books were such an education for me. I loved her and learned so much from her.

WhereIsMyRollingPin · 04/01/2023 18:22

Despite being a prolific reader, I have to confess I don't remember reading any of her books. Suggestions would be very welcome.

VickerishAllsort · 04/01/2023 18:23

Oh no. I've been a huge fan since I was a teenager. She and Germaine Greer, though totally different, were the main influences on my feminism.
She'll be greatly missed for her humour, intelligence and imagination. RIP Fay.

ZenNudist · 04/01/2023 18:29

I read all her books when I was a teenager but that was only up to about 96 and then I moved on. She was very accessible. That and the guardians woman section made me more of a feminist.

PermanentTemporary · 04/01/2023 18:34

I disagreed with her on a lot of things but I still remember the opening of TLaLoaSD.

'How do women survive? How do ugly women survive?'

I've never stopped thinking about the awkward ideas that book and series raised.

happystory · 04/01/2023 19:25

She wrote a brilliant short story about inviting guests from London to their country cottage and her doing all the work whilst the visitors ate all the food and left wet towels everywhere. The original MN CFers!

Diverging · 04/01/2023 19:28

Ah sad news. Truly original and thought provoking writer. Rest in peace Fay Weldon.

Diverging · 04/01/2023 19:32

Obit on R4 now.

creamcoffee · 04/01/2023 19:33

i loved her books

xanthippe8 · 04/01/2023 19:49

Puffball was the first of Fay's novels I read, that was mind blowing for me, back in the 80s. RIP Fay

creamcoffee · 04/01/2023 19:50

thanks for the tip off about the obit on R4