Science fiction author and critic Thomas Disch took his own life in his apartment on the 4th of July, 2008. Disch, perhaps best known for his work The Brave Little Toaster, published his first novel in 1965. He started his career as one of SF's new wave, which included such authors as Roger Zelazny and Michael Moorcock. The author had been struggling with depression following the 2004 death of his partner of three decades, Charles Naylor. Disch's novel The Word of God was just released.

Robert J. Sawyer posted a touching tribute on his blog.