THE NOVELIST MARTIN AMIS DIED ON FRIDAY - A VERY SAD DAY

So sad to hear of the death of Martin Amis - I have always enjoyed reading his books and that of his father, Sir Kingsley Amis (1922-1995) who wrote 'Lucky Jim', which I also read many years ago. 

I was so lucky to meet Martin in the queue to be security  police-searched in a previous visit to the House of Lords where ALCS had invited members for one of their summer parties on the terrace.  I queued up behind Martin and we had a good chat (his voice was unexpectedly deep!) about his memoir and my work as archivist to the Society of Women Writers and Journalists (founded in 1894). I believe his stepmother Elizabeth Jane Howard had a speaking connection with our Society. She was also one of my favourite authors. 

 Martin Amis published 15 novels and is best known for his books Money: A Suicide Note and London Fields.

"We are devastated at the death of our author and friend, Martin Amis: novelist, essayist, memoirist, critic, stylist supreme," his publisher Vintage Books said.