Novelist W.P. Kinsella Dies at 81 by Assisted Suicide

Canadian novelist W.P. Kinsella, author of Shoeless Joe, died on Friday by doctor-assisted suicide in Hope, British Columbia, his literary agent said in a statement. No further details about his health were disclosed, but assisted deaths became legal in Canada only in June. Kinsella’s work was renowned for combining magical realism with baseball. His 1982 novel Shoeless Joe served as the foundation for the 1989 Oscar-nominated film Field of Dreams. Kinsella published nearly 30 books throughout his career and won the Order of Canada for his work, one of Canada’s highest honors. He leaves behind two daughters. There will be no memorial service, in keeping with his last wishes.