James Graham “J.G.” Ballard (1930-2009) was a British author and journalist. Best known for his dystopic works of science fiction, his novels include Crash (1973) and High-Rise (1975). His semi-autobiographical novel Empire of the Sun (1984) was adapted by Stephen Spielberg in the 1987 film of the same name. Luminous, wry, and arresting, Ballard's writing endures as a touchstone for popular conceptions of post-apocalyptic landscapes, mass media, and emergent technologies.