Shepperton literary giant JG Ballard dies
Apr 21 2009 By Adam Courtney
JG Ballard
Shepperton-based author JG Ballard, described as being a "giant on the world literary scene", has died after a long battle against prostate cancer, aged 78.
Neighbours in Old Charlton Road, where he had lived since moving to Shepperton following the death of his wife in the 1960s, described him as being a quiet, private man.
His most acclaimed work was Empire of the Sun, a story based on his childhood in a Japanese prison camp in China.
In all, he wrote 15 novels and scores of short stories and developed a reputation for causing controversy, particularly with his book, Crash, a novel about sexual desires stimulated by car crashes, which was later made into a film.
In latter years he wrote other acclaimed novels such as Super Cannes and American People.
His agent Margaret Hanbury, paid tribute, saying: "JG Ballard has been a giant on the world literary scene for more than 50 years. His acute and visionary observation of contemporary life was distilled into a number of brilliant, powerful novels which have been published all over the world and which saw Ballard gain cult status."
He is survived by three children, James, Fay and Bea, and long-term partner, Claire.
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