The Socialite who Killed a Nazi with Her Bare Hands

This compelling collection gathers 164 standout obituaries from The New York Times, moving chronologically through remarkable lives from the famous to the fascinatingly obscure. The pieces showcase top-tier journalism that transforms life summaries into gripping narratives, whether profiling tech visionary Steve Jobs or Arch West, the unassuming inventor of the Dorito. Each entry demonstrates how obituaries can reveal the extraordinary within ordinary existence, capturing entire worlds through the lens of individual lives.

What makes this anthology distinctive is its ability to find profound meaning in final accounts, treating each subject with equal narrative weight regardless of their public stature. The title piece exemplifies this approach, highlighting an unforgettable story that might otherwise remain buried in archives. Readers who appreciate biography, history, and masterful storytelling will find themselves immersed in these beautifully crafted final portraits that collectively form an unconventional history of modern life.