Madeleine l'Engle who was born in New York City in 1918 died on 6th September 2007 at Rose Haven nursing home in Connecticut.

Madeleine l'Engle's first novel, A Wrinkle in Time, introduced Meg Murry, a truly original character whose insecurities could not mask an essential strength and a lively, full emotional life. As one of, if not the first full-blown science fiction heroines (many early editions of A Wrinkle in Time presented her brother, Charles Wallace, as the hero), Meg was hard for the publishing world to accept. Coupled with l'Engle's extraordinary blend of science fiction, psychology, theology and mysticism, this made the book a difficult one to sell, although it went on to vast success and has remained in print, in one edition or another, almost constantly ever since.

Further novels - including other tales of the Murry family, forming the Time Trilogy, or Quartet, or Quintet, depending on whom you ask - held to this original style. Her interests, fascinations and acute, inquiring intelligence shine through in her writing. Never merely adventures, l'Engle's novels explored questions of religion, morality and mortality; of responsibility and consequence; of interconnectedness and importance.

Luke Slater

New York Times Obituary

Washington Post Obituary

An interview with Madeleine l'Engle on frugalfun.com