His wide-ranging work drew on field research in his native Sri Lanka as well as his extensive study of English literature and Christian mysticism.
Author: Clay Risen
Oleg Gordievsky, K.G.B. Officer Turned Double Agent, Dies at 86
While climbing the ranks of the Soviet spy agency, he spent more than a decade working for British intelligence as one of its most highly placed moles.
Arthur Blessitt, Who Carried a Cross Around the World, Dies at 84
A street preacher from Hollywood, he set out on a walk to New York City in 1969 with a 110-pound cross on his back. Then he kept going.
Yehuda Bauer, 98, Scholar Who Saw Jewish Resistance in Holocaust, Dies
A leading historian of antisemitism, he countered the prevailing narrative of Jewish victimhood and later pushed back against efforts to diminish the Holocaust’s significance.
Nell McCafferty, Larger-Than-Life Irish Journalist, Dies at 80
Her pugnacious writing on women’s rights, gay rights and other issues helped turn her country into one of the most progressive in Europe.
Virginia Ogilvy, Confidante to Queen Elizabeth II, Dies at 91
Born into New York wealth and married to a Scottish earl, she was the only American-born lady-in-waiting to the queen, serving for nearly 50 years.
Wayne S. Smith, a Leading Critic of the Embargo on Cuba, Dies at 91
A former State Department official, he resigned in protest in 1982 over Cuba policy, then spent decades trying to rebuild relations with the island nation.
Barry Kemp, Who Unearthed Insights About Ancient Egypt, Dies at 84
An archaeologist, he wrote widely on everyday life under the pharaohs and did much of his fieldwork at Amarna, considered the Egyptian version of Pompeii.
Rose Dugdale, Heiress Turned Irish Independence Fighter, Dies at 82
Born into English wealth and Oxford-educated, she left it all behind for a life of radical and often violent activism.
Giandomenico Picco, Diplomat Who Freed Hostages in Lebanon, Dies at 75
As the “chief troubleshooter” for the United Nations, he spent months shuttling around the Middle East to secure the release of 11 captives.