Last Words

The last words of the dying often provide insight into their feelings about life. Some are peaceful ("e;It is very beautiful over there"e;-Thomas Alva Edison); many are spiritual ("e;Don't ask the Lord to keep me here. Ask him to have mercy"e;-Walker Percy); others are angry ("e;God-damn the whole frigging world and everybody in it-except you Carlotta"e;-W.C. Fields); still others reflect the weary fight against death ("e;I'm bored of it all"e;-Sir Winston Churchill). Nearly 2,000 deathbed quotations from saints, popes, statesmen, scientists, soldiers, musicians, athletes, artists, entertainers, writers, criminals and others are included in this reference work. Each entry includes a brief biographical sketch of the person and sets the quotation in context. The sources for the quotes include biographies, newspaper and magazine accounts, and, in a few instances, firsthand accounts.