death

Coach House Books is extremely sad to note that two Coach House authors have recently passed away this June.

On June 3, David Bromige a noted Canadian poet who lived in northern California for much of his life, died of complications from diabetes. Bromige was closely connected to many language poets, though his work defied easy categorization. He published thirty books over his career, including Piccolo Mondo, which he co-authored with George Bowering, Angela Bowering and Michael Matthews.

This January, Coach House remembers Fletcher Starbuck. He was the first editor of Image Nation, the influential photography magazine published by Coach House in the early 1970s. <!--newline--><!--newline-->The Vietnam draft brought Fletcher Starbuck to Toronto, where he worked as a photographer and toiled in the dark room at Coach House Press. He soon became great friends with many people in the Canadian photography community.

They were wrong. Death comes in fours here at the Coach House.<!--newline--><!--newline-->We are saddened to announce the passing of Japanese Koi #1 (Funk). Frisky<!--newline-->turned to frenzied, and then there was stillness.<!--newline--><!--newline-->We are, we have come to believe, doing something wrong. Please email your<!--newline-->fish-care pointers to alana@chbooks.com.<!--newline-->

Tragedy, they say, strikes in threes. Sadly, they are right. Please take a<!--newline-->moment to mourn the passing of baby Japanese Koi #2 (as yet unnamed, alas)<!--newline-->and Zach, long-time denizen of the Coach House fish tank.<!--newline--><!--newline-->Plecostomus Zach has been with the team for about six years, bravely sucking<!--newline-->up the algae no one else wanted to eat. We will miss his vicious temper, his<!--newline-->creepy sucking noises, his valiant efforts to keep the tank green-free.

Fish, a six-year Coach House resident, was found floating atop his home. An attempt to call 911 was his last act of public engagement. The police did come to Coach House this morning, but all efforts failed.<!--newline--><!--newline-->Fish was the last of his many goldfish siblings. He will be remembered for his swimming and pugnacious personality.