I am currently reading Takaki's "A Different Mirror" for my Ethnicity in American Communities class at UC Davis. I've enjoyed reading his book and am saddened by this news.

Thank you for the Tribune link. It's such a great loss. He's one of my formative intellectual heroes, especially for "A Different Mirror" and "Iron Cages."

There seems to be a judgement implied in Hyphen using "Committed Suicide" as the title of this blog post. There are many, perhaps more graceful ways this event could have been described. I just watched Jose Rivera's play, "Boleros for the Disenchanted," where the final scene is literally an ultimatum for the lead male to take his life to escape his barely-living condition or continue on in the care of his long-suffering wife. Had the dialogue in the scene included at all the words "committing suicide," it would have descended into melodrama and sensationalism and not been respectful of everything we'd come to admire about the character. If it could be acheived in fiction, surely the same grace can be afforded in memorializing an actual hero in real life like Ron Takaki.

Point taken. Obviously no disrespect was meant toward Takaki or his family.

Headline has been adjusted so there is no misunderstanding.

Is this true? Did he really take his own life? As a former student currently connected with the campus and the department, I've heard no word of this.

Katie, according to the obituaries, it's true.

You are contesting the use of the term "committed suicide"?

Are you serious?

The absurdity of this is precisely why Berkeley liberals are seen as whiny and irrelevant.

RIP Rob

@anthony - yep. This Berkeley alum understands the value of nuance in language, especially when speaking of someone who should be honored and whose death should not be some spectacle by which we measure his life.

Liberal? You'd better believe it.
Whiny? Fine, but I think you're calling the pot black here, Kettle.
Irrelevant? Clearly the blogger felt otherwise.
Serious? Yes. Are you?

I'm saddened by the news. I never had the chance to take any of his courses (I was in one of them for all of 1 day before I ended up dropping due to time conflicts), but it's something I wished I could've attended. My condolences go out to the friends and family.

I am just now finding out about Dr. Takaki's death, and to say the least, I am profoundly sadden.

I just completed reading his books "Iron Cages" and "A Different Mirrow" a few months ago. After seeing him on aC-Span program, I was impressed with his understand and ability to communicate his ideas on ethics and history. His insight and perspective on the history of this country had a significant impact on my understanding of a country I have lived in all my life.

Mankind has lost a great mind and he will be truly missed.