How They Croaked

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bragg, G. (2011). How they croaked: The awful ends of the awfully famous. New York: Walker & Co.

SUMMARY

How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous surveys briefly the life and deeper into the deaths of several of the world’s most well-known people such as King Tut, Albert Einstein, and Marie Curie. Additional tidbits of information are also included.

PLOT ANALYSIS

How They Croaked offers enlightening information about the deaths late famous people as well as further information relating to the deaths such as the cremation process, lesser known phobias, and burial sites. Bragg cites many sources used to achieve accurate information. However, the book is not 100% accurate. In one section, a list of famous people buried at Westminster Abbey includes Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King is buried in Atlanta, Georgia. I thought maybe it was an error that would be corrected with Martin Luther; however, upon further investigation I learned Luther is buried in Germany.

While the text is informational, the tone is juvenile and quite often humorous. Bragg does a great job of take a more comfortable approach to an eerie subject matter. The illustrations are caricature-like, which is appropriate considering the audience. The book’s premise is also inviting.

The layout of each chapter is similar: introduction and background about each person, a description of how they died along with addressing and correcting misconceptions about people’s pasts or causes of death. Bragg often informs readers about medical practices that have since been discovered that could have saved these people’s lives.

Even though a few errors appear in the text, the overall quality of the book is exceptional; one I would recommend to young readers.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Lonestar Reading List, 2013

Cybil Award Finalist, 2011

“From George "Little Mouth of Horrors" Washington to Marie "You Glow, Girl" Curie, Bragg chronicles with ghoulish glee the chronic or fatal maladies that afflicted 19 historical figures. Nonsqueamish readers will be entranced by her riveting descriptions of King Tut's mummification (and the brutal treatment that mummy has received in modern times); the thoroughly septic "doctoring" that hastened or at least contributed to the deaths of Mozart, Napoleon, James A. Garfield, and others; the literal dissolution of Henry VIII's body ("While lying in state, it is believed that his toxic remains exploded, and some of his royal splendidness dripped out the sides of the coffin overnight"); and the outrageous fates of Einstein's brain, Galileo's fingers, and other coroners' souvenirs. The author tucks quick notes on at least marginally relevant topics, such as leeching, scurvy, presidential assassins, and mummy eyes ("If mummy eyeballs are rehydrated, they return to almost normal size"), between the chapters and closes with generous lists of nontechnical print resources on each of her subjects. O'Malley's cartoon portraits and spot art add just the right notes of humor to keep the contents from becoming too gross. Usually. Despite occasional farfetched claims it's hard to believe that Charles Darwin puked four million times, even though he was fanatical about keeping personal health records this all-too-informative study deserves the wild popularity it will without doubt acquire.” –Booklist, 2011, starred review

“The most reluctant of readers will find it difficult to resist this consistently disgusting chronicle of the gruesome deaths of 19 will famous people.” –Kirkus Review, 2011

CONNECTIONS

Prezi Presentations

Choose another famous person who has passed. Research how he/she passed away. Create a Prezi to describe briefly the person’s life and in more detail their death. In Bragg’s style, add other lesser know tidbits.

Funeral for a Famous Friend

After learning more information about one of the people featured in How They Croaked, write a eulogy for that person as if you knew that person. Comment on what they accomplished and mention how they died.