MARILYN JOHNSON
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Reviews of The Dead Beat"In The Dead Beat, Marilyn Johnson - an obituarist herself - acts as our Virgil through the back pages, introducing the knowledgeable, eccentric and talented writers responsible for sending off the just and the unjust, the famous and the not-so-famous." The Observer (London) "...while Johnson's analysis of the form and its top practitioners is absorbing, her account of the culture of obituary lovers is downright amazing." Jane and Michael Stern The NY Times Book Review ****4 stars Francine Prose People "....a smart, tart and often hilarious tiptoe through the tombstones." Parade "I think it will be the sleeper book of the year." Don Murray The Boston Globe "If you have ever, once, reveled in the obit page, you'll be reading aloud from these fan's notes by a former Life obit writer. She's been obsessively clipping for years and shares the choice shockers and tearjerkers -- along with an infectious reverence for the form. Only irresistible lives live here." More "Open this enormously entertaining book and your life will contain three certainties: death, taxes and an overwhelming desire to turn the pages." Peter Rowe The San Diego Union-Tribune "The Dead Beat is a romp of a book that captures with well-placed humor the curious assortment of people featured in the obits, as well as those who write them, read them, collect them and - well - simply are obsessed with them." Verna Noel Jones The Rocky Mountain News "Marilyn Johnson shares her obsession in exhuberant and elegiac style." Michael Ollove The Baltimore Sun "What Marilyn Johnson thought would be 'a little cult book' is turning into one of the most admired books of the season." Joe Meyers The Connecticut Post "If you've ever wanted to know the secrets behind the obituary - and there are some juicy, fascinating ones to be had - Marilyn Johnson's wonderful 'The Dead Beat' (HarperCollins) is the book for you." CNN.com readers respond "Marilyn Johnson's new book The Dead Beat is an epiphany of epiphanies of epiphanies. Her writing, like good poetry, opens your eyes to see the extraordinary in the ordinary to the degree that you have to wonder where her sizeable skills end and where grace begins....Ms. Johnson reminds us, to riff on a line from Thomas Merton, that all of these ordinary folks walk around blind to themselves but shining like the sun." Jim Street "...This is a jewel of a book joyfully free of typographical and grammatical errors..." a reader on amazon.com ************************************************ "Who knew there was so much life in The Dead Beat? Thank heaven for the cadre of colorful souls who daily publish the life stories of the most recently dead. Some of us flip straight to the crossword, sports or comic section without so much as a glance at the obituary page, where apparently the real action and word play has been for the past 20 years. Marilyn Johnson makes an irresistible case for putting a new crease in your daily paper." — Diane (Pottstown, PA) "No longer considered the bottom of the heap job, Johnson gives the reader good insight on the Obituary writer and how they approach their jobs. Loved the Internet Tour Guide. What better way to get to know someone whom you thought you knew than by reading their obituary. No longer the notification of death but a celebration of life. Very readable." — Yvonne M. (El Sobrante, CA) "I found it hard to put down this very lively look into verbal portraits of the dead. Ms. Johnson's The Dead Beat is well paced and peopled with a cast of characters more fascinating than many I have found in works of fiction. She's convinced me that I'm missing out on some interesting reading if I don't keep an eye on the obits pages for lovely coincidental deaths and intriguing life stories of 'ordinary' people." — Kelsey (Anderson, SC) "The Dead Beat seems destined to find a wide audience. Journalists and writers will certainly enjoy this insider peek at the world of the obituary. But so will the generally curious, and just about anyone who expects to die someday. The book offers a fresh perspective. Instead of mere death notices, obituaries can become 'celebrations of life' in the right hands. Unwilling to take any chances with this important bit of journalism, I am inspired to write my own obituary." — Debrah (Norman, OK) "Having received 'The Dead Beat' for review on the same day as the unexpected death of a close friend and colleague, I considered Ms. Johnson's comments on the serendipitous, coincidental, and parallelisms that seem to accompany deaths. And while she commented upon these events being paired, my experience had been that references were most commonly made to people dying in threes, whether in our own friends and relations, or persons in public view ... three entertainers, senators, ballplayers, etc. As I sat contemplating whether one should attribute any more to these 'related events', I received word that my mother-in-law had died without warning, It followed that I was asked to consider whether or not an obituary should be placed in the local paper, and what that obituary should contain. I heartily endorsed the obituary placement, and encouraged by having read this book, I undertook to have more than the particular facts included. I hoped for a bit more character to show through….. All was for naught however, when the funeral director submitted a simple recording of 'only the facts' which he dutifully encased in plastic and mailed to each of the children. The irony of its plasticity was not missed by me! As a genealogist, I have read, collected, and used the information found in hundreds of obituaries. I can even say that I have enjoyed many of them, though before having read this book, I would not likely have openly admitted that. I have often kept obituaries of people to whom I had no connection whatsoever, simply because something in them resonated with me. Often the writer used an interesting turn of phrase, a euphemism to disguise a negative attribute, or they may have said something blatantly non-PC about the deceased or a family member, or in some cases the manner or the description of some aspect of the deceased's life or death intrigued me." — Lisa (Chantilly, VA) "This book was different than what I originally expected, but that made it much more interesting in my opinion. At first, I expected a book full of examples of strange obituaries rather than the historical and sociological examination of them that Johnson provided. It was fascinating; I read it faster than most non-fiction titles that I have picked up." — Chad (Kokomo, IN) "This morning I read the obituaries in the newspaper. These have never been a part of my daily reading -- at least not until I read Marilyn Johnson's 'The Dead Beat.' It's a funny and touching book that led me to discover an unsung yet immensely popular literary form to which I had never before given a second glance. This book isn't about the paid obituaries by friends and relatives of the deceased. It's about the life (and death) stories written by newspaper staff writers. They are tributes to celebrities, ordinary folks, and those who had a peripheral role in a historic or social context of their day. Besides presenting the story of a life, they are history as it is happening. The author shares her enthusiasm for both reading and writing obituaries. She covers the history and evolution of the obituary format and content. She describes the obit fanatics who attend the Great Obituary Writers' Conference and who haunt Internet web sites, exchanging the latest gems they have unearthed from newspapers around the globe. She interviews obit writers and editors, and compares and contrasts the writing styles of various newspapers, especially between the American and British. She includes selections from obituaries that sparkle with wit and resonate with the essence of lives lost; they are poetry, folk art, gossip, and short story rolled into one. If this fascinating book about an unusual subject doesn't convert you into an obituary reader, than nothing will!" — Eileen (Coral Springs, FL) "Enlightening, entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable! I loved this book and will definitely recommend it to friends. It will make anyone not an obituary reader beforehand, an avid obituary reader afterwards, myself included. This was a well written look at obituaries and the people who write them. The author's style was informative and entertaining and made reading this book a pleasure. I found it very hard to put down and was sorry to see it end." — Patricia (Sanford, ME) "My first thought was that this book was going to be more of a collection of funny and bizzare obits from around the world. It is not, it is so much more. As a long time obit reader, it was thrilling to see there is an entire sub-culture out there of folks just like me who THRIVE on reading obits. Learning about some of the best obit writers and how they view their work, not as simply recording a death but as providing a service to the survivors, and giving the dearly departed a proper send off that captures the essence of their lives, no matter who they were. I've now bookmarked several of the sites the author mentioned. Early in the book, the author mentions curious coincidences in death, such as two researchers of vitamins dying on the same day. I found this really interesting and am now seeking those types of connections even more on the obits pages. Very good book -- will recommend to everyone." — Susan (Concord, CA) "Marilyn Johnson's 'The Dead Beat' has been an awakening for me. I had always considered myself as someone who read the newspaper from the first to last page. And yet, I have always been amused at those people who would be drawn to 'The Irish Sports Section'. After reading this book, I realized that I had been avoiding the obituaries and denying myself 'perverse pleasures'. Now, the author may recoil at any suggestion that she exhibits cultish behavior in her chosen craft as an obituarist. But, the passion for her profession shines through with a blend of dignity, respect and a healthy sense of humor. 'The Dead Beat' is a remarkable tribute to her profession. I particularly enjoyed her homage to many of the pioneer obituarists of the egalitarian tributes. She has done her homework and I appreciate the history lesson. The author demonstrates a reverence for her chosen profession and genuine compassion for the deceased and those they leave behind. I value the education on obituary structures and styles and I came away thinking I had just completed a course in Obituaries 101. Above all else, 'The Dead Beat' was entertaining and enlightening and I have become a new fan of the obituary. I will no longer avoid this rich section of the newspaper and I may just start searching the online obituary resources as detailed in the book. The notes, references and bibliography are useful and thorough for those who want to pursue more." — Robert (Marshfield, MA) "I thought Ms Johnson wrote with knowledge and clarity of thought throughout this book. Ms Johnson has mastered the diversity of obituaries published in the media with thoroughness. Ms Johnson style of writing was easy to read and understand." — Betty (Kennewick, WA) "Am insightful and entertaining account of obituary writers. Something we all take for granted even if we bother to read them in the first place. Johnson offers up a behind-the scene look of the evolution of obituaries and the colorful cast of writers, and how they got there." — Rick (Indianapolis, 1) "I really enjoyed The Dead Beat. I wanted to read it because of the unusual topic. I was expecting something a little ghoulish, but something of a novelty. I was surprised at how funny Ms. Johnson's writing is and how smoothly she moves from being amused at herself and the rest of the obit world to dealing very empathetically, very respectfully with the dead and those who survive them. Smart, funny, maybe a touch ghoulish, but not at all unfeeling. The only downside is that I now find myself being drawn to the obit pages, and I really don't have time for a new hobby." — Michelle (Raleigh, NC) "In any field there are super-stars and lesser known heroes, this holds true for obituary writers. Johnson gives the reader some insight into their world in her book The Dead Beat. Included are some interesting anecdotes about the stars, the particulars of writing obituaries and the trends as she sees them. Perhaps a turning point in the world of obits, was the NY Times treatment of the victims of September 11th. The Times Portraits resonated with the shocked and saddened public giving the ordinary man a place in history with a brief look at what made that person unique. Interesting read to a little known profession." — Cindy (Hopewell Junction, NY) The above are from HarperCollins' First Look readers. |
"This delightful quirk of a book is not dark or morose; it's an uplifting, joyous, life-affirming read for people who ordinarily steer clear of uplifting, joyous, life-affirming reads….Of all the personalities captured in 'The Dead Beat,' few are more endearing than Johnson, a former obituary writer. Her enthusiasm is infectious.…Writers interested in honing the craft should inhale this book. Who else might profit or delight from reading about obituaries? Just about anyone who's not yet in one, I'd wager." Mary Roach The Los Angeles Times "A fetching book about obituaries? Well, yes: Ms. Johnson writes about obituaries with the zeal — and insight — of an avid obit fan." Michiko Kakutani The New York Times "Marilyn Johnson is such a beautiful writer, and is so at ease and funny about the forbidden subject of death, that you find yourself cheering when the obit writer gets it right and the dead person gets his due." Betsy Carter Broadsheet |
