He wrote prolifically. But let him explain:

For a living, I chase the ambulances of popular culture. I review television every Monday for New York magazine; and books every Tuesday for National Public Radio; and politics and other cultures every Thursday for New York Newsday; and media of several sorts every Sunday morning on CBS; and I will be found otherwise, four or five times a year, in The Nation, where I am encouraged to rhapsodize about new novels at whatever length I think I need–with the understanding that I will be underpaid.

As you can see, he understood the power of the list, and used it as an expert, sending the prose into a controlled four wheel drift, like James Joyce or Ian McDonald. But the main thing was he was scarily well-read, across genres and media. He was Henry Jenkins, turned up to eleven, with fangs and claws.

Since Leonard was unafraid of genre and pop culture, he was happy willing to sing the praises of Pat Cadigan and Twin Peaks alongside paeans to Toni Morrison.

Along with Katha Pollit’s columns, he was the reason to pick up a copy of The Nation, every week.

Damn the Universe, you take away Mr. Leonard and my friends’ right to marry on the same day, when we could had used his words to take down those culture warriors down a few pegs.

I’ll remember those books for Kelley Freas’ covers, which were as full of visual gags, as the books were full of puns.

ETA:, I’m thinking of the earlier editions with the Freas covers.

Anita Roland at NorthernVoice in Vancouver, BC.

Originally uploaded by roland.

Back in 1999 and 2000, Anita Rowland helped bridge the online journaling and weblog communities, with her weblog and her journal, Anita’s Book of Days, she also helped run the Seattle Blogger Meetups. I met Anita through Science Fiction Fandom, especially Potlatch where she ran the hospitality suite whenever it was held in Seattle.

For the past few years, she fought off cancer, but today, she died.

Cynthia and I are grateful that she was well enough to travel this summer and go to Japan for the World Science Fiction convention where we last saw her.

My condolences to her husband, Jack William Bell, and to all of my friends in Seattle Fandom’s Vanguard crew who helped them with looking after grandchildren, rides to the doctor, cooking and cleaning.

Dammit, Anita, you are well-loved and will be missed.

ETA: Jack has opened a memorial post on LJ for our memories of Anita.

Shelley Powers points back at Frank Paynter’s interview with Anita from a few years ago.

I learned about the Manchester scene too late for Ian Curtis' Joy Division, but played the hell out of my New Order records when I was in college.

We'll build a Haçienda for you in SL, dude.