The Last Days of Dead Celebrities (Paperback)

by Mitchell Fink (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Despite his book's coarse title, journalist Fink (Never Forget: An Oral History of September 11, 2001) treats his subjects with considerable grace in this intriguing collection accounting for a handful of celebrities' final days. Fink covers his subjects chronologically-beginning with the 1980 death of John Lennon-and occasionally references how the death of one personality affected another (as in the case of a mournful Yoko Ono). A veteran journalist for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, People magazine and the New York Daily News, Fink avoids the tabloid treatment and goes out of his way to attribute his quotes and gather background information from those who were there. The diversity of his choices gives weight to the book as well; larger-than-life personalities such as John Lennon and John Belushi commingle with football player Lyle Alzado, news correspondent David Bloom and musician Warren Zevon. Some, like legendary acting coach Lee Strasberg, had premonitions of their deaths, while others, like Belushi, were taken by surprise and all too soon. The result is a thoughtful and sobering account of how our culture views and treats celebrities, as well as a poignant look at some very public people's most private moments.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist
In detailing the activities of celebs at the end of life, Fink delivers somber cautionary tales replete with piquancy and perversity. To be sure, those are tabloid attributes, and Fink's style owes a bit to Kenneth (Hollywood Babylon) Anger, a bit to the supermarket tabs, and a bit to Joe Friday. That is, Fink's light enough to entertain, thorough enough to satisfy morbid curiosity. John Lennon, Orson Welles, and Lyle Alzado are among the subjects of 15- to 20-page chapters. Ted Williams, he of the court battles among his offspring and the cryogenically necessitated portmortem decapitation, makes for an especially savory essay, while the rather charming and inspirational fade-out practiced by Warren Zevon is another story. And when Fink quotes an expiring Lucille Ball remarking, "I'm so tired of myself" (to which veteran couch potatoes may breathe a silent "You and me both"), he imparts insight into what it must be like to end life with a celebrity-crazed public raptly watching. Truly the last word in celebrity biography. Mike Tribby
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Miramax (May 2, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401360254
• ISBN-13: 978-1401360252
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #230,403 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Simply fantastic, May 25, 2006

By	Ilovebooks "ilovebooks" (ny) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Last Days of Dead Celebrities, The (Hardcover)

I was thisclose to buying this at the bookstore, but I am a cheapskate, so I didn't. But this is fantastic. Morbid, but fantastic. Yes, we've all heard most of these stories before, but there is something very unique in Fink's approach. He's not writing the gory details, but talking about how the deaths of these larger-than-life figures affected those who were closest to them, and how, so sadly, so many of these could have been prevented, such as Margeaux Hemingway's suicide, and John Ritter's heart problem. Just a fascinating account, that actually avoids much of the tabloidness that Hollywood Babylon waded in.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Documents How Decisions Affect One's Finality, June 28, 2006

By	Howard L. Dixon (Hopewell, VA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Last Days of Dead Celebrities, The (Hardcover)

Mitchell Fink knows his subject very well. The nice thing about this book is you learn much more about the celebrities than just their final hours and how they passed. With the broad difference in the celebrities from Lucille Ball to Lyle Alzado the book builds upon what most readers already know about the subjects. Each coverage is sufficiently detailed to gain a good understanding but not so lengthy to become boring. You'll learn new and interesting facts about each and every one of the 15 celebrities.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Written with grace, style and tact, September 11, 2006

By	K. Corn "reviewer" (Indianapolis,, IN United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Last Days of Dead Celebrities, The (Hardcover)

If you fear this is going to be a morbid book, think again. The focus here isn't so much on how celebrities ranging from Arthur Ashe to John Lennon died but on how they LIVED their lives. Mitchell Fink seems to recognize that there is actually inspiration to be found and steers clear of a sleezy tell-all. He treats each celebrity with a modicum of respect, while also putting in the details that readers want to know.
There were many part of this book which I found moving, from John Ritter's attempts to comfort those around him by saying "I'll be fine" (or words to that effect) in the midst of agonizing physical pain to the courage Arthur Ashe diplayed even after a tactless reporter decided to reveal he had AIDS.
The author relies heaviy on actual quotes from people who knew the subjects of this book well and that adds special power and vividness to this book.