Obituary
Safety first
Richard Simpson strove to balance buyers against manufacturers
America’s first consumer-product-safety tsar died on July 21st, aged 93
The place where she was
Sinéad O’Connor hated the very idea of being a pop star
Ireland’s most provocative singer and protester died on July 26th, aged 56
A wizard in the woods
SunRay Kelley wanted to build in rhythm with nature, his teacher
The “evolutionary” eco-architect and forest-dweller died on July 16th, aged 71
The last Romantic
André Watts took both Liszt and Schubert to his heart
One of America’s first black stars of classical piano died on July 12th, aged 77
When angels laugh
Milan Kundera believed that truth lay in endless questioning
The Czech novelist, author of “The Unbearable Lightness of Being”, died on July 11th, aged 94
Truth, and how to find it
Victoria Amelina explored a land of atrocities and secrets
The Ukrainian writer and civil-rights campaigner died on July 1st, from injuries sustained in a Russian missile attack
Through the dark clouds shining
Donald Triplett was autism’s “Case 1”
The first man diagnosed as autistic died on June 15th, aged 89
Her working life
Glenda Jackson left acting for politics—and then returned
The actress acclaimed on stage and in film died on June 15th, aged 87
Tell me lies about Vietnam
Daniel Ellsberg leaked the Pentagon Papers to try to stop the Vietnam war
The historian, policy-planner and determined activist died on June 16th, aged 92
The great seducer
Silvio Berlusconi duped Italians for years
The republic’s longest-serving prime minister, perpetually dogged by scandal, died on June 12th, aged 86
Her special child
Vera Putina claimed to be Vladimir Putin’s real mother
The resident of dirt-poor Metekhi, in Georgia, died on May 31st, aged 97
Shine, no matter what
Tina Turner turned a tough life into splendour
The singer and ultimate performing artist died on May 24th, aged 83