The Passing of Iain Banks.

Others will be far more eloquent, setting down the influence this great man had on their formative years in elegant little quips.

My first experience with banks was in fifth year, Intermediate Two English. We had to choose a book for the personal study section of the qualification. I found myself casting about in the rather small community school library for something I hadn't actually read. This resulted in the librarian, rather exasperated with the mass of teenagers trying to find the smallest book they could get away with, pointing me towards the adult section. I picked up The Crow Road and promptly fell in love. I found solace in the fact that I was not the only neurotic, cynical weirdo in Scotland which is rather helpful when you're at a school with less than 100 pupils.

As an adult I am now fully aware that everyone feels like this. And I learnt this and many other life lessons through banks' brilliant writing.

He will be sorely missed.

Now I'm going to go curl up and reread everything of his I have in the house,

Minnie xoxo