In Memory: William Peter Blatty

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!

When an author dies a reader feels that some part of them also passes. Whether it is because the reader may never experience a new story or novel from their favorite author. Or because the author may have had a great impact on how they live their life. For many, it can be the memory of cracking open that latest novel that may give them a shiver of happy memories.

In 2023 many great people have passed that have worked in the book industry or the film industry who brought those books to life (including William Friedkin). In 2017 we lost the author of the author of The Exorcist.

When I discovered that William Peter Blatty had passed away at the age of 89. I sat for a moment and processed this information. The Exorcist will always be my all-time favorite novel. I have read this book four times in my lifetime, and had began an annual Halloween reading tradition in 2015.

What makes this novel a jewel in my reading crown is not that it is a scary novel, we all know that it is. It is due to the fact that it features characters so realistic and three-dimensional, that every time I read this novel I feel that I am visiting old friends. Blatty's narrative grips you with a winding tale that spans the globe and reaches into the depths of the supernatural. It challenges your faith, makes you sometimes question your own belief in the supernatural, and breaks your heart with its harrowing tale of a mother desperately trying to save her child from evil. You do not just read The Exorcist, you live it.

William Peter Blatty was possibly a supernatural being himself. He was a charming man in real life and seemed to appreciate his readers. And when he wrote you could almost see the twinkle in his eyes when he was about to hit the reader with a huge revelation. A prime example of this is his narration of the Exorcist when he reads Lieutenant Kinderman's lines. Kinderman was always my favorite character in this book, and Blatty's narration just made this character even more enjoyable. I feel he had an affection for the old cop that may have mirrored someone he knew in real life. If you get a chance please check out the 40th Anniversary Edition audio book.

William Peter Blatty has always been a part of my life. His writing encouraged me to write. His books encouraged me to read. And his characters taught me a lot about being strong. I will miss his writing, but I know that I will always have his works to be there when I need them.

William Peter Blatty, thank you for being the amazing writer who encouraged me to read so many years ago. You will be missed.

Let me know in the comments below what you are reading.

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