Austrian novelist, playright, poet, etc. Gert Jonke died this past Sunday, of cancer, at age 62.

The author of more than 17 books in German, not to mention countless other texts for TV, the stage, and elsewhere, I would call Jonke one of the most important writers that more people in English should know about. So far 2 of his books have been translated in English and published by the ever-vital Dalkey Archive, including the absolutely incredible ‘Geometric Regional Novel‘ and the more recent ‘Homage to Czerny,’ with 2 more on the way, and hopefully more to come in the future.

I wrote about Jonke and his work more extensively here, if you are so inclined.