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Tuesday 7 February 2012

Erich Segal

Tuesday, 19th January 2010

I have just returned from the funeral of my friend Erich Segal, who died suddenly last Sunday at the age of 72. Erich was best known for having written the novel Love Story, which was turned into a box-office smash movie. His talents were very much more prodigious than that. Not only did he write other novels and screenplays, including the Beatles’ film Yellow Submarine, but his main distinction was as a professor of Latin and Greek literature at Harvard, Yale and Princeton and the author of a number of scholarly books in that vein. He was also at one time a competitive distance runner (and TV commentator on the Olympic Games), which made the subsequent ravages to his body by Parkinsons Disease which trapped him for more than two decades – and which he bore with such stoicism and grace -- all the more tragic.

But his real distinction was not on account of his manifold achievements and brilliant mind but from his character. Erich was simply a very exceptional human being, a man of rock-like integrity and great sweetness and gentleness of nature. Wearing his depth and originality of thinking very lightly indeed, he made all those who met him – as was noted in one of the eulogies today – feel as if they were special and had interesting things to say. Devoid of pretension, his values were rooted in what was really important in life. He was utterly devoted to his wife Karen and two daughters Francesca and Miranda, whose own suffering as they watched him slowly taken from them bit by bit while this most cruel disease advanced was in itself heartbreaking.

Even when he was so ill, however, he continued to write and plan more books and his house was often filled with friends, love and laughter. Even then his passion for ideas, for keeping in touch, his wit, his anecdotes about the great and not-so-good whom he had known well (he would entertain and shock us equally with his revealing accounts of the duplicitous behaviour of Edward Said, for example, or Al Gore who had falsely claimed to have been the inspiration for Love Story), his Jewish learning and his deep love for Israel and passionate indignation over the way it was being traduced and defamed -- all these incandescent lights that illuminated Erich's character remained resolutely undimmed.

All of us who were touched by his life were made the better for it. It was truly a privilege to have known him. May his memory be for a blessing.

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Oflife

January 19th, 2010 11:29pm

I had not heard of him (although I had of course heard of Love Story), but your short obituary makes one want to learn more about Mr Segal and his life. We do seem to be running out of 'the good ones' don't we? What happens when there is no one good left?

Baron

January 19th, 2010 11:48pm

What’s wrong with Him taking away those we need, and leaving here the ones we can do without?

His family and friends have my deepest condolences.

AF Austin, Texas

January 20th, 2010 12:21am

I missed knowing a lovely spirit.

Frank P

January 20th, 2010 2:02am

He was also blessed to have such a good friend. A lovely eulogy Melanie, which will give his family great comfort and pride. He will surely now rest in peace. My sincere condolences.

GaryO

January 20th, 2010 10:27am

What a clever man. Sadly, beyond the Love Story, I knew nothing of this man.

Polly Gamma

January 20th, 2010 10:59am

It is so true that a life is most enriched by those with whom we have joined spirits and I am so glad that you will be comforted by those remembrances.

just Louise

January 20th, 2010 1:46pm

I saw "Love Story" when it first came out (dates me!) and couldn't fathom what all the fuss was about. I did know that Erich Segal was an academic who had made money from this frothy tale (we should all be so lucky!) but since I never followed his career I had no idea that he was such a mensch and so great a friend of Israel.
Thanks for the heartfelt tribute to him, Melanie.

-Ed.

January 20th, 2010 3:54pm

You have written a gorgeous tribute to your friend. Thank you for sharing it. May he rest in peace, and may your tribute bring comfort to others.

David Alcock

January 20th, 2010 8:15pm

I had never heard of this man and I'm pleased to learn about him now. I'm sure that Melanie's words are are ringing with those who knew and loved him. Obituaries, when written with insight and affection do much to honour the memory of the departed. Often I have read of lives whose endeavours and accomplishments were great but not well known to me and I have always appreciated hearing of them however belatedly.

I am always grateful to Thomas Gray who speaks for mine.

'Let not Ambition mock their useful toil,
Their homely joys and destiny obscure;
Nor Grandeur hear, with a disdainful smile,
The short and simple annals of the poor.'

Margaret Muller-Johansson

January 20th, 2010 8:39pm

He was a special man he had a good heart and he was very very talented,
sorry Melanie, we're all gonna go one day and like you said may his memory be for a blessing,

Amen

phil

January 21st, 2010 11:29am

A beautiful eulogy by Melanie and the best tribute any man can have from Louise --"I had no idea that he was such a mensch " For me that is the highest honour a man can achieve .RIP

Fabio P.Barbieri

January 21st, 2010 12:24pm

I knew about Segal, and while I did not think much of his writing (and I notice that Melanie does not lay much stress on it), I did think he was a remarkable man. I would love to hear more about his anecdotes about Edward Said.

Douglas Bass

January 21st, 2010 6:31pm

I'm sorry for your loss, but anyone who writes "Love means you never have to say you're sorry" is likely to be mistaken about a great many other things.

Segal's comment that Tipper Gore was not the inspiration for Jenny in "Love Story" went under the media radar, by the way.

Miranda Rose Smith

January 22nd, 2010 9:35am

Dear Louise: If you didn't know Segal, of blessed memory, was very pro-Israel, you never read Acts of Faith, which I recommend, by the way.
Dear Mr. Bass: You're right in pointing out that love doesn't mean never having to say you're sorry.
Dear Ms. Phillips: Lovely obituary. Thanks.

jz

January 23rd, 2010 5:49pm

He must be remarkable as Martin Peretz also wrote a lovely eulogy on his website and you are 2 people I deeply admire.

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Melanie Phillips is a Daily Mail columnist. She also writes for the Jewish Chronicle and is a panellist on BBC Radio Four's Moral Maze. Her most recent book is 'The World Turned Upside Down: The Global Battle over God, Truth and Power', published by Encounter.

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