Reporters comb the clippings of people who have disappeared from public view for decades on end. They interview editors, friends, neighbors, old lovers and hope they haven't been forbidden to talk. Do you think there are any privacy issues with obituaries that we should worry about? "In general, we believe in the public's right to now," he says.
The stereotypical obituary is a formulaic recitation of facts — dry, boring, and without craft. But Margalit Fox has shown the genre can produce some of the most memorable and moving stories in journalism. Exploiting its “pure narrative arc,” Fox has penned over 1,200 obituaries, covering well-known and obscure subjects with equal aplomb.
In her conversation with Tyler Cowen, Fox reveals not only the process for writing an obituary, but her thoughts on life, death, storytelling, puzzle-solving, her favorite cellist, and how it came to be that an economist sang opera 86 times at the Met.
Read a full transcript enhanced with helpful links, or watch the full video.
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