The Dead Beat: Lost Souls, Lucky Stiffs, and the Perverse Pleasures of Obituaries (P.S.) - Softcover

"[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 wry study of the cult and culture of the obituary assesses what our fascination with these unique human-interest stories reveals about our feelings about death, offering a survey of the obituary, in all its diversity. Reprint. 50,000 first printing.