Tom Clancy has died.

[Are_grits_groceries]

@juliebosman: Tom Clancy's publisher confirms to the NYT that he died last night in a hospital in Baltimore.

RT by Michael Beschloss who is a very reputable source.
Boston Globe has retweeted.

Links in the thread below.

[Old and In the Way]

1. Sad to read this...

He became formulaic and predictable over the years...and I really didn't much care with his politics, but his book "Red Storm Rising" blew my mind.

[Gormy Cuss]

2. A link

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/author-tom-clancy-dead-66-article-1.1473782

[Are_grits_groceries]

5. Thanks!

I knew one was coming, but I couldn't find it right away. People probably were scrambling to get the story out.

[kydo]

3. here is a link

here is a link [link:http://finance.yahoo.com/news/tom-clancy-dead-celebrated-thriller-141800682.html|

[sharp_stick]

4. That's sad

I haven't read his stuff in quite awhile but I remember how much I enjoyed The Hunt For Red October and Red Storm Rising. Completely changed the way the techno-thriller was written.

[stevenleser]

6. Disagreed with his politics, but his books were one of the best guilty pleasures ever. nt

[Tommy_Carcetti]

7. Weird.

He was of course obsessive about Cold War stuff long after the Cold War ended, which was kind of odd.

He and his family lived around us, so he was the big local celebrity. He was actually my father's insurance agent for some period of time before he became famous. Went to my church. He was a bit of a cold fish, never really spoke with anyone. But his son was really nice.

My dad has an autographed 1st Edition of Hunt for Red October that Clancy foisted upon him right after he wrote it. I'm guessing it might fetch a good half grand with the right buyer.

[reflection]

8. Autographed 1st edition?

You're right. That should fetch a tidy sum if your father needed some money for whatever reason.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

11. Yeah, my dad referred someone to him for insurance and he gave it as a gift. nt

[Orrex]

9. I understand that his eulogy will include 40 pages of intensive technical information

Condolensces to his family and survivors.

[Paladin]

13. +1. RIP, but he wasn't my idea of a great novelist. (nt)

[msanthrope]

18. Okay...that was pretty funny. nt

[ChazII]

10. R.I.P. Mr. Clancy

You were a good author.

[Jenoch]

12. I enjoyed his books, especially

the early ones. In Minnesota Tom Clancy is known not only as an author, he is known for his failed attempt to purchase the Vikings. (He didn't actually have the $200 million in 1997.)

[joeybee12]

14. Never read anything by him because he was a raving homophobe...

But I'm sure his family is sad, so thoughts for them.

[stevenleser]

15. I didn't know that. Do you have a link?

That would be two of my favorite authors turning out to be jerks.

[SomethingFishy]

17. Just google it. There is a ton of stuff. Clancy was a true "Conservative"

Family values and all... (you know.. values the half his age trophy wife over the wife who raised his kids)

[rl6214]

16. Too bad, I liked his early books.

[Ranchemp.]

19. Didn't care much for his politics, but I didn't like him for his politics,

I loved his books, particularly his book, The Sum of All Fears, the movie wasn't that good, but the book?
First class writing.
Also, Red Storm Rising, it was a very realistic scenario of how WWIII could have started in the 80's.

RIP Mr. Clancey, your writing will me sorely missed.