In the 90s, at the dawn of email, Brian was kind enough to answer an email about his creative process for a dissertation my wife was working on. It was a lovely missive about maps and history I treasured. I wish the vagaries of technology would have allowed me to save it permanently. But it lives forever in my head and heart. Beyond a great author, the world lost a good man. Many condolences to his friends and family on their incalcuable loss.