Martyn Goff, who created the Booker Prize, administered it for three decades and "shaped it into one of the world's most prestigious literary awards," died yesterday, the Guardian reported. He was 88. When Goff stepped down from the prize in 2002, John Sutherland wrote: "The current health of English fiction can be explained in two words: Martyn Goff."
Jonathan Taylor, chair of the Booker Foundation, said, "Martyn was a wonderful advocate and administrator of the prize for so many years. His contribution was invaluable and under Martyn the prize grew in stature and reputation, not least because of his tireless championing of contemporary fiction of the highest quality."
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Convention organizer Peggy Rae Sapienza, who "was an important figure in convention fandom," died March 22, Locus magazine reported. She was 70. Sapienza chaired Bucconeer, the 1998 Baltimore Worldcon, and was the North American Agent for Nippon, the Japanese Worldcon in 2007, Locus noted, adding that she chaired the Nebula Awards Weekends in 2011 and 2012, co-chaired the 2014 World Fantasy Convention and "was a vital committee member at many other major cons."
