Famous Last Words: Apt Observations, Pleas, Curses, Benedictions, Sour Notes, Bon Mots, and Insights from People on the Brink of Departure »

Here are the parting shots of those folks no longer with us, from those dead after surviving horrifying war conditions (such as Robert E. Lee) to those who themselves decided to end it all (like Yukio Mishima), from the mutterings of imagined characters in books, plays, movies, and on TV (who can forget Captain Kirk?) to those of real characters like Richard Nixon who uttered memorable farewells that came back to haunt them while they were still alive. Alan Bisbort captures all the drama, the tragedy, and even the humor of the departed, whether they left this world or their job.

These choice good-byes -- inspiring, bleak, absurd -- have been gleaned from the original sources. And unlike authors of similar compendiums, Alan Bisbort has provided witty, concise, and very informative text that puts these famous last words into a factual context so readers can make sense of them. From ancient leaders to today's personalities, from the real to the imagined, Famous Last Words is fascinating, illuminating, and immensely rewarding.