Leo Frankowski (1943 - 2008)

[james_davis_nicoll]

editrx has relayed the news that she was informed that Leo Frankowski died yesterday.

Comments

Leo, women, etc.

[(Anonymous)]

I was Leo's editor at Del Rey for many of his books. He was a nice but complex fellow. I corresponded with him from time to time after I left Del Rey in '99. I think I can say that the characters in Leo's books do not necessarily reflect Leo's views. Much of the material about female characters that is thought to be objectionable was written by Leo to annoy people who annoy easily. I know this because we discussed it fairly often.

From my dealings with Leo, it was clear that he respected women as individuals, never had anything derogatory to say about a woman unless she had for some reason merited it.

As far as his time in Russia is concerned, I think he was a bit naive. Leo was not a small man, nor handsome, and he was surprised that in Russia he could date women who, in the States, would not have stopped to call for help if he'd fallen over in the street and been struck by a car. He liked the fact that in Russia he could date women who were independent, well educated, and good looking. And he loved the fact that they stood up to him. It did not seem to have occurred to him that the fact that he was considered a catch in Russia might have had something to do with the Russian economy and a population of women who'd grown tired of infantile Russian men. And of living poor.

I have no idea what killed his marriage: whether it was Leo's running short of money, a wife who despaired over Leo's apparent inability to learn Russian or to lose weight or who just decided she couldn't handle his personality any longer. Or something more sinister.

But I miss him. He was funny and very smart. And a real bastard to negotiate with.

Owen Lock