Having penned memorable obituaries for the likes of Princess Diana, Jackie Onassis, and Johnny Cash, for Life and other magazines, Marilyn Johnson here takes a literate, irresistible look at the appeal of obituaries, for their readers and especially for their writers. Here are the powerful Chuck Strum of the New York Times obit page, who keeps a vault of some 1200 news-making obituaries for people who haven't died yet, and James Fergusson of London's Independent, a former antiquarian bookseller who transformed obituaries from "desperate chronologies" into essay pieces.

"An uplifting, joyous, life-affirming read for people who ordinarily steer clear of uplifting, joyous, life-affirming reads."—LATBR