The Book of Obituaries

Ever read the Obits?

It's not as macabre as you might think. The worst part is that most of them are dry as dirt and are anything but interesting. I have always found them fascinating though.

Several years ago, I found a book which opened my eyes to just how much fun a newspaper Obit could be. It was "The Daily Telegraph Book of Obituaries, A celebration of Eccentric lives." Let me give you an example written upon the death of one Ian Board. "Board was an heroic smoker and drinker-until recently he would breakfast on brandy and he once consumed a bottle of creme de menthe at a sitting-and if his drinking destroyed his youthful good looks it also shaped and nourished his magnificent nose".

Or Denisa Lady Newborough, who has died at 79, was many things: wire-walker, nightclub girl, nude dancer and airpilot. She only refused to be two things- a whore and a spy-"and there were attempts to make me both," she once wrote. Ever read that in an American paper?


While I am neither recommending nor encouraging excess, wouldn't you love to be immortalized by someone who told the truth. This whole book is a praise to the stereotypical eccentric Brit.

Other editions celebrate the lives of war heroes, politicians, criminals and churchmen. You can find many of them at Alibris

Where all this was leading is this. British Obituaries are a much different breed of cat than you will find in America. They are funny. erudite, and mostly good natured fun in a way that no American would ever consider. While I cannot speak to the reputation or character of either of these, I hope they are not the English language versions of Pravda, I recommend that you take a periodic look at these.





Obituaries - Telegraph






Obituaries Times Online




You won't have a clue who the deceased are, but somehow it just doesn't matter.



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