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Margalee Trox is one of the main writers of obituaries for the New York Times. She also has written very well-reviewed books, including a book about historical true crime in England. Tyler: How well do you feel family and friends actually know a person? Margalee: Those closest to them are the ones by definition who know them best.

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.

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