Book Review 8/25/2007 Tony Lawrence

The Dead Beat by Marilyn Johnson

(Amazon Link)

I almost put this aside without looking at it. As it turns out, perhaps I should have followed my instincts.

A quick glance at the books cover (yes, yes, I know) convinced me that this was a compilation of obituaries. I know some people find the obits sections utterly captivating, but they hold little interest for me, so I put this book at the bottom of the pile my sister had recently passed to me.

Somehow it slipped out from the bottom, and I flipped it open thinking I might find something amusing or deeply tragic or at least worth reading. I did so without much real hope, though.

Well, yes, there are obituaries here. The author, unlike me, is a big, big fan of the obits. Her book, however, is more about the people who write obituaries. Interestingly enough, this task that was once a low level entry job or a punishment for misbehaving staff is often now highly respected and sought after. Marilyn interviews the writers of obituaries, examines their different styles, shows how they came to the craft, and of course presents examples of their work.

Well, after realizing that, I thought I might be able to read this. However, half way through, I remain uninterested in the subject and equally uninterested in continuing to the end. Most Amazon reviewers disagree with me, however, so it may just be that the subject matter won't let me find value here - you might find this fascinating.

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