The Dead Beat: Lost Souls, Lucky Stiffs, and the Perverse Pleasures of Obituaries
Marilyn Johnson
(Author)
Description
Every morning, countless readers of the morning papers bypass the front page, neglect the sports section, and go directly to the obituary page. It's not morbid curiosity (or not just that) that motivates them. Legions of obsessive fans turn to the obit page first because it very often contains the most gripping and best-told stories of the day.
In The Dead Beat, former Life magazine writer and Esquire editor Marilyn Johnson makes a smart and light-hearted survey of obituary writing, unraveling the cult and culture of obituaries to consider what our feelings about death--and the way we write about it--tell us about how we live.Product Details
Price
$14.99
Publisher
Harper Perennial
Publish Date
February 01, 2007
Pages
252
Dimensions
5.1 X 0.81 X 7.96 inches | 0.6 pounds
Language
English
Type
Paperback
EAN/UPC
9780060758769
BISAC Categories:
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About the Author
Marilyn Johnson is a former editor and writer for Life, Esquire, and Outside magazines, and lives with her husband, Rob Fleder, in New York's Hudson Valley.
Reviews
"[Marilyn Johnson]'s written a warm, funny, appreciative book that, ironically enough, should live forever. But get it now."--Roy Blount, Jr., author of Feet On The Street: Rambles Around New Orleans
"A beautifully written, funny, and fascinating tour through the unexpectedly lively world of obituaries."--Lisa Grunwald, author of Women's Letters: America from the Revolutionary War to the Present
"A charming, lyrical book about the men and women who write obituaries... sly, droll, and completely winning."--David Halberstam
"A joyful book about obituaries? Absolutely! Marilyn Johnson pulls it off with death-defying grace, insight, charm, and wit."--Lee Eisenberg, author of The Number: A Completely Different Way to Think About the Rest of Your Life
"A beautifully written, funny, and fascinating tour through the unexpectedly lively world of obituaries."--Lisa Grunwald, author of Women's Letters: America from the Revolutionary War to the Present
"A charming, lyrical book about the men and women who write obituaries... sly, droll, and completely winning."--David Halberstam
"A joyful book about obituaries? Absolutely! Marilyn Johnson pulls it off with death-defying grace, insight, charm, and wit."--Lee Eisenberg, author of The Number: A Completely Different Way to Think About the Rest of Your Life
