Customer Reviews

Getting Into Death; the Best Short Stories of Thomas M. Disch

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I have read the title story of "Getting into Death" at least 100 times---and oddly enough I never tire of it. I visualize it in my mind like a movie, and the heroine is played by Anne Bancroft. The story can still move me even after I have read it more times than I have read any other.

It is the tale of a writer who has professionally led two lives: one is a producer of obscure, arcane yet respected mysteries; the other produces best selling romantic potboilers. Through this dichotomy, Disch allows us to explore the conflicts in her nature and the myriad ways in which she copes with her own impending death from an incurable heart ailment.

While she experiences her final days in the hospital, she explores and evaluates her relationships with the many people in her life: her ex husbands, her daughters, her doctor. She begins to realize that the rituals and the dances of death that people do are not just about the dying; they are about the emotional requirements of the survivors. She comes to resolve her feelings and accept her fate with serenity.

From what I have written the story may sound depressing; but never fear, it is funny, witty, philosophical, exhilarating. You will be moved to tears, I promise.

The remainder of the book has more superlative one-of-a-kind Disch takes on death, with his singular mordant humor on prominent display. The other real standout in my view is "Death and the Single Girl," which I think could be an uncredited inspiration for the current Showtime series "Dead Like Me."

In this story, Death takes the role of a middle aged man who has a series of listless dates with a suicidal young woman. But Death experiences a (for him) rare case of impotence: Because he cannot "come," she cannot go, so to speak. Date after date she tries to get Death to 'come," every attempt is met in failure.

The resolution to this dilemma is deliciously funny and satirical as only Disch can be.

Please avail yourself of this fine collection. You will return to it many times.