Journal Entry 1 by FeistyPom2Love from Carpinteria, California USA on Sunday, May 09, 2010

Great bargain find at Border's! I enjoy odd, unusual and off the beaten track topics and this one fits the bill. This nonfiction book is really well written & now has me wanting to read obituaries. Something I've never read in my life! I hope you enjoy this book a much as I did!!! Happy reading!

Amazon Editorial Review:

"Marilyn Johnson was enthralled by the remarkable lives that were marching out of this world—so she sought out the best obits in the English language and the people who spent their lives writing about the dead. She surveyed the darkest corners of Internet chat rooms, and made a pilgrimage to London to savor the most caustic and literate obits of all. Now she leads us on a compelling journey into the cult and culture behind the obituary page and the unusual lives we don't quite appreciate until they're gone."

I'll be sending it on its way to other readers in the form of an international bookray.

6of8 (USA will ship anywhere)
Vekiki (UK will Ship within EU)
book4freaks (Germany will Ship within the EU)<------ Book is here now!!
Hayes13 (Italy will Ship Anywhere)
NMReader (USA will ship within USA Only)
Ri (USA prefers shipping within the USA)
mysticalzoe (USA prefers shipping within the USA)
ealasaidmae (USA will ship anywhere)
innae (USA prefers shipping within the USA)
hyphen8 (USA Shipping)
fanclub (USA prefers shipping within the USA)
minesayn (USA Shipping)
mellion108 (USA Shipping)
wildflower37 (USA will ship internationally)
herchelle (Canada will ship internationally)
Lydiasbooks (UK prefers shipping in EU)
 

Journal Entry 2 by FeistyPom2Love at Silver Spring, Maryland USA on Saturday, December 04, 2010

Released 1 yr ago (12/4/2010 UTC) at Silver Spring, Maryland USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I released this book for an international bookray. Happy reading 6of8! 

Journal Entry 3 by 6of8 at Silver Spring, Maryland USA on Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Received this one in the mail yesterday and looking forward to reading it over the holidays. 

Journal Entry 4 by 6of8 at Silver Spring, Maryland USA on Friday, December 24, 2010

Absolutely delightful profile of the world of obituaries (as opposed to death notices that I grew up calling obituaries, the details of a person's life written by the family which they paid the newspaper to run). These obituaries are written by the newspaper staff and do not cost the family anything; details are drawn from interviews with family and friends; the subjects are selected from among the death notices, based on interesting tidbits that want further exploration.

I liked the fact that early on she tried to define the different parts of the obituary: the tombstone (the description of the deceased that makes you want to read the rest, like "the professional whistler" or "father of the modern Cleveland auto show"); the bad news (the details about the cause and circumstances of death -- lingering illness, auto accident, etc); the song and dance (a detailed piece about what made this person so unique in the world or an important experience in their life that defined them); the reverse shift (where, after relaying some or all of the above information, the writer goes back to John Doe was born in Citytown, son of Jack and Jill Doe . . .); the desperate chronology (the listing of all of the major accomplishments, such as education and employment and playing the organ at church, etc.); friars (the little bits like a toast or a quote that sums the person up and gives the obituary flavor and texture); the telegraph (the deadpan jokes and juxtapositions that set the tone; the drumroll and the cymbal crash); and the lifeboat (the list of survivors). This provides a nice illustration of all the reasons these obituaries are worth reading and attract so many fans.

I have to agree with the author, the London papers run the most interesting ones, although I really liked the selections she included by Jim Nicholson. And, although I noted the fact that the writing was better and more engaging when the obituarist did not know the subject, it inspired me to try to draft one for my father who died in 2003, as one way of recording my memories and feelings for him.

I will put this in the mail to vekiki when the post office opens again on Monday. Thanks for including me in this bookring! 

Journal Entry 5 by 6of8 at Silver Spring, Maryland USA on Monday, December 27, 2010

This was an absolute gem and I was so glad to be part of this book ring.

Popped this one in the mail this morning to vekiki in UK. Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 6 by Vekiki at London , Greater London United Kingdom on Tuesday, January 18, 2011

recieved today. got another bookring on the go right now, then I'll get onto this. thankyou for sharing 

Journal Entry 7 by Vekiki at London , Greater London United Kingdom on Thursday, February 17, 2011

Released 1 yr ago (2/17/2011 UTC) at London , Greater London United Kingdom

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

popped in the post to the next person

sorry for the delay moving this on - I've been having trouble with my PMs so getting hold of addresses has taken some time

I tyhought this was interesting, but the writting was a bit repetative in it's use of language 

Journal Entry 8 by book4freaks at -- Per Post/Persönliche Weitergabe--, Hessen Germany on Saturday, March 05, 2011

I've received it today and will start reading next week-thanks for sharing!