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.
