ANTHONY MINGHELLA (R.I.P.)

A mere couple of days ago, I reported here how I was gobsmacked by finding out all about "The Nr 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency" being put on screen by Oscar-winning director Anthony Minghella.

That included seeing him that day on TV, in an interview recorded while he was still filming in Botswana, defending his movie and Alexander McCall Smith's book and explaining why in his view it should not be considered "patronising".

Today, the first news I got was that he died, aged only 54, in the aftermath of a surgical procedure he underwent a few days ago.

Just like that.

Now his film about Mma Ramotswe will go down in history as his last oeuvre. And I suspect I will always think of it as spooky.

A mere couple of days ago, I reported here how I was gobsmacked by finding out all about "The Nr 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency" being put on screen by Oscar-winning director Anthony Minghella.

That included seeing him that day on TV, in an interview recorded while he was still filming in Botswana, defending his movie and Alexander McCall Smith's book and explaining why in his view it should not be considered "patronising".

Today, the first news I got was that he died, aged only 54, in the aftermath of a surgical procedure he underwent a few days ago.

Just like that.

Now his film about Mma Ramotswe will go down in history as his last oeuvre. And I suspect I will always think of it as spooky.