Icons we mourn: Madeline L'Engle, Luciano Pavarotti

I hate to do two at once, but, in the interests of time.

A great voice was stilled this week as Luciano Pavarotti succumbed to pancreatic cancer.

And, more importantly to me, and probably most of the literatati of my generation, Madeline l'Engle passed away yesterday. I was just talking about her with a gentle and
wise man this week in Montana, and it is inconceivable to me that she is no longer with us. More than anyone else I read at the time, she wrote about feelings and situations I actually experienced, or anticipated experiencing, gently, but with the
crisp edge of ruthlessness that signified how real they were. If you missed them, go, now, buy them, and begin. (Also, wtf happened to Amazon while I was out west?)