General

Paul Quarrington, dead at 56

Canadian author was diagnosed with lung cancer last May

Paul Quarrington, the author of Home Game and Whale Music, has died. The Toronto-born writer was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer last May and had spent the past year completing a book and touring with his band, the Porkbelly Futures. Quarrington’s first novel, The Service, was published when the author was just 25, and was succeeded by nine others, as well as works of non-fiction, journalism, screenplays and work for the stage. In one of his final interviews with the CBC four months ago, Quarrington maintained a bright outlook on life despite the grim diagnosis. “I (thought) I was one of the luckiest guys alive. And when I got the diagnosis, I thought, ‘Well, my luck has just run out’,” he said. “But actually, it hasn’t really. You find out how lucky you are in terms of friends and people around you.” Quarrington was 56.

Toronto Star

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.