The book world lost some giants this year. I've listed this sampling by date of death, and added a link to a major obit where I could find one. Librarians, book collectors, and bibliographers are bolded. I'm sure I've missed some important ones, and apologies for those omissions. Thanks to Joyce for her additions to my list.
- Fraser, George MacDonald, d. 2 January - historical novelist. Times Obit.
- Hoch, Edward D., d. 17 January - detective novelist/short-story writer. NYTimes Obit.
- Truman, Margaret, d. 29 January - mystery novelist. WaPo Obit.
- Whitney, Phyllis A., d. 8 February - novelist/children's author. NYTimes Obit.
- Robbe-Grillet, Alain, d. 18 February - novelist. NYTimes Obit.
- Moore, Robin, d. 21 February - author. NYTimes Obit.
- Pollak, Michale, d. 27 February - bibliographer. DMN Obit.
- Buckley, William F., Jr., d. 28 February - author/publisher. NYTimes Obit.
- Clarke, Arthur C., d. 19 March - science fiction author. NYTimes Obit.
- O'Faolain, Nuala, d. 9 May - journalist/author. Telegraph Obit.
- Elder, Will, d. 15 May - Mad Magazine cartoonist. NYTimes Obit.
- Bruccoli, Matthew, d. 4 June - bibliographer/collector. NYTimes Obit.
- Disch, Thomas M., d. 4 July - science fiction author. NYTimes Obit.
- van de Wetering, Janwillem, d. 4 July - detective novelist. NYTimes Obit.
- Berès, Pierre, d. 28 July - bookseller/collector. NYTimes Obit.
- Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr, d. 3 August - author/historian. NYTimes Obit.
- Mosel, Tad, d. 24 August - playwright. NYTimes Obit.
- Giroux, Robert, d. 5 September - editor/publisher. NYTimes Obit.
- Mcdonald, Gregory, d. 7 September - crime novelist. NYTimes Obit.
- Wallace, David Foster, d. 12 September - author. NYTimes Obit.
- Lemay, J.A. Leo, d. 15 October - historian/author/biographer. UDel Memorial Page.
- Kavanagh, Pat, d. 20 October - literary agent. NYTimes Obit.
- Mitchell, Herbert, d. 25 October - Columbia University librarian; collector of images. NYTimes Obit.
- Hillerman, Tony, d. 26 October - detective novelist. NYTimes Obit.
- Wharton, William, d. 29 October - painter/novelist. NYTimes Obit.
- Terkel, Studs, d. 31 October - author/oral historian. ChiTrib Obit.
- Crichton, Michael, d. 4 November - author. LATimes Obit.
- Leonard, John, d. 5 November - author/critic. WaPo Obit.
- Friedlaender, Helmut, d. 25 November - rare book collector. NYTimes Obit.
- Adams, Thomas R., d. 1 December - librarian/bibliographer. ProJo Obit.
- Sterling, Dorothy, d. 1 December - children's author/historian. NYTimes Obit.
- Ackerman, Forrest J., d. 4 December - collector of science fiction books and memorabilia. LATimes Obit.
- Waugh, Hilary, d. 8 December - mystery novelist. AP Obit.
- Pinter, Harold, d. 24 December - playwright. NYTimes Obit.
