For more than a decade, The Economist has included unique and original obituaries in a quite popular column. The obituaries are remarkable because of the unpredictable selection of people written about, the surprising lives they led, and the brilliant writing style. This volume gathers two hundred of the best obituaries. The selection for this book ranges far and wide: Syd Barret of Pink Floyd to John Kenneth Galbraith; Pope Jean Paul II to Sony founder Akio Morita; Este Lauder to Hunter S. Thompson; and Marcel Marceau to even Alex the African Grey (sciences best- known parrot). The book includes illustrations and photographs.
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