Customer Reviews

The Grim Reaper's Book of Days: A Cautionary Record of Famous, Infamous, and Unconventional Exits

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A highly entertaining read that will both amuse and inform you, this book discusses the demise of famous and fascinating people, as well as the unusual circumstances involved in the demise of non-famous people. The format is organized by calendar day, who died that day, how, with fascinating facts about the famous that will peak your curiousity and make you want to learn more. I am disappointed to see the book is out of print as it is a favorite of mine. Read it if you can!

If you like the fact-a-day style calendars, this book takes that format, focuses on notable or interesing deaths, then kicks it up a notch to a full book filled with dark, funny and interesting detail. I first discovered this book more than a decade ago when my highschool Latin and Ancient History teacher used it to start class many days by telling us "on this day in..." for example today being Dec 4th could've been: On this day in 1952. England. A killer smog killed 4,000 people As many as 8,000 later died from its less-immediate effects.

My favorite is the ironic January 15th death of 21 by molassas.
This is a must read for trivia buffs, history fanatics, and celbrity followers.

I know it's out of print now, but find a copy of this book, you won't regret it.

Think of this book as a day calendar that contains multiple entries for each day of the year. The common thread is that the people included on each day entry died on that day. The subjects range from regular folks to the famous, infamous, or forgotten. The entries can include anything from biographical and historical information and usually details pertaining to the cause of death and any extenuating circumstances.
The information provided is interesting and well-researched. In the instances where a death is cited that was caused by sheer recklessness or stupidity, it can get pretty funny. The authors do an excellent job of condensing their facts into a readable format.
Yhis was a pleasurable book that was immediately satisfying and thought provoking.
If you like trivia, history, or quirky reads this book is an excellent choice.