Death: A Life

This book is a delightful romp through history as told through the eyes of the man who watched it all die - Death himself, spawn of Satan and Sin. Even the introduction is a hoot, and the acknowledgments - the most original ever written, I'm sure. History is compressed, as you would expect from an eternal being who existed before time, and transcends time and space. His line about how there was death on Mars was a great way to close a fun book, a book which could sneak in a little historical education without you even realizing you'd just walked through history, as seen through the eyes of Death. Great book; not for those with a prudish or traditional sense of humor.

Born from Satan and Sin, Death grows up in Hell, neglected and unsure of what he is destined to do. Then the creator of all things unveils his newest creation, Earth and suddenly Death discovers his reason for existing. Being the End of All Things isn't always what it is cracked up to be though. Death has to navigate the endless demands and criticisms of all living creatures, the occasional visit from his parents, surly angels, a show off Messiah and an indifferent Supreme Being. Above all though, Deaths greatest challenge ends up being that seductive force known as Life.

This book was so clever and entertaining, I couldn't put it down. Recently losing my mother to breast cancer, I have embarked on a journey to understand myself, life and death. Fiction, non-fiction, grief, spirituality--I'm chasing my own dragon--anything to help me learn why -- and I stumbled on this little tale. You may think it odd that I picked a humor book about death after my loss--not such an odd pairing if you knew me. A memoir of Death's life, it made references to things that just tickled my funny bone, made me question and made me sad too. Super witty, you best have a sense of humor about yourself and your beliefs. There is a continued learning opportunity in this book about world history, religion, and other fiction , if one show more were so inclined. I enjoyed this book and found it oddly comforting in my life as I know it here and now.

Smart, well written. I recommend it.

And as Mr. Pendle points out, "Jesus, still reigns in Heaven, bitch!"

Oh my Lord, I needed that laugh!

Yes, I'm going--

straight

to

Hell. show less

This was a very humorous take on the beginnings of the world, told through the experiences of Death personified. A really interesting view of angels, souls, the afterlife, love, and life itself. The jokes are very understated but there were points where I was just cracking up.
If you don't think it's funny, then you're probably missing the point.

This isn't quite at Christopher Moore's level of humor, but it is a good romp, roaringly funny in some places (particularly during Death's time in rehab) and poignant in others.

Started out very funny, but the humor petered out by the end. It's worth picking up for the introduction and the first 30 pages, but I went from laughing once a page to giving the occasional chuckle every ten pages or so. I think the biggest problem was that everyone was so cartoonish that any humor based on their personalities felt thin and contrived. Still, there were some interesting theological jabs in there, so it was fun for my brain.

Fun, quick read about the early (very early) days in the life of Death, son of Satan and Sin. The author doesn't commit to the dark humor or irreverence this subject deserves (see Glen Duncan's "I, Lucifer" for the former and Christopher Moore's "Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal" for the latter). The book is at its best when history meets religion, weakest when it tries to humanize mythic beings. There are some great one-liners as well, my favorite being the description of Oscar Wilde's hell