Summary: In this book, 19 people are covered. The book spends just a bit telling about the
accomplishments of the person and how they were famous in their lifetime. Most of the text is dedicated to the unusual
circumstances surrounding the person’s death.
Often, it was a case of not having the modern medical advances we
sometimes take for granted. For example,
the horrific measures they put George Washington through before he eventually
died could have been avoided with a simple round of modern day
antibiotics. After each person’s entry,
there is a more informative section about the times in which the person lived
or an aspect related to him/her. Impression: I’m not a huge fan of reading non-fiction,
but I actually enjoyed the way this information was presented. It was full of sarcasm, which I find
appealing. Middle schoolers really
respond to that as well. Suggestions for library setting: Our sixth grade is doing a biography project
on people who overcame obstacles. Many
of the people mentioned in the project are also in the book. It will be an interesting ancillary to those
learning more about their person. Beyond
the project, there are many in middle school who will find it entertaining to read
about the disgusting way that many famous people met their end.
Bragg,
Georgia. (2011). How they croaked:
The awful ends of the awfully famous. New
York: Walker Childrens.
The
most reluctant of readers will find it difficult to resist this consistently
disgusting chronicle of the gruesome deaths of 19 famous people. Bragg opens
with King Tut, discussing in gory details the embalming and mummification
processes of the ancient Egyptians. Among the many macabre details is an
explanation for why mummy eye sockets look empty: "Eyeballs shrink to
almost nothing during the drying process" (the author notes that if mummy
eyeballs are rehydrated, they return to almost normal size). Among the other
famous figures profiled are Henry VIII, whose corpse exploded in its coffin
while lying in state; George Washington, who was drained of 80 ounces of his
blood by doctors before dying; and Marie Curie, who did herself in with
constant radiation exposure. The accounts of how ill or injured people were
treated by doctors through the 19th century reveal that medical practices were
usually more lethal than the maladies. Between each chapter, there is a page or
two of related and gleefully gross facts. Bragg's informal, conversational
style and O'Malley's cartoon illustrations complement the flippant approach to
the subject; the energetically icky design includes little skulls and
crossbones to contain page numbers. Engaging, informative and downright
disgusting. (sources, further reading, websites, index).
How
they croaked: The awful ends of the awfully famous. (Feb. 1, 2011). Kirkus
Reviews. Retrieved from:http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/georgia-bragg/how-they-croaked/
Georgia Bragg has her tongue
firmly in cheek as she describes "how some of the most important people
who ever lived--died" in this engaging book (Walker, 2011). Beginning with
King Tut and moving chronologically through to Albert Einstein, Bragg explains
in a conversational style what maladies brought 19 of the great ones down.
Listeners will be clued in to Henry VIII's gluttony, George Washington's little
mouth of horrors, and James Garfield's oh-so-slow death by ignorance. Narrator
L.J. Ganser uses sarcasm, timing, pauses, and tone to wring out every last
ounce of disgusting, gross misery from the deaths of Julius Caesar, Cleopatra,
Christopher Columbus, Napoleon, Mozart, and others. There are humorous
subtitles to each story, such as "Marie Curie: You Glow Girl!," and
sidebars that add to the history. Be sure to pair this with the print version
so students can giggle at Kevin O'Malley's hysterical illustrations. A perfect
choice for boys who are reluctant readers.
Melgaard, T. (2011). How they croaked: The awful ends of the
awfully famous. School Library Journal, 57(11), 75.
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