Death is only half the story

For most of us, death is a solemn experience. Unless we are related to celebrities or other public figures, and perhaps even then, death is seldom greeted with appreciation. I mean, although death is as common as life itself, rarely do we exhibit it publically, preferring to stick to our grief and simple affairs over funerals and obituaries.

Nevertheless, deaths of public and/or historical figures do involve us now and then, and when we find ourselves in such unexpected situations, we are at a loss for information. Newspaper archives, libraries and the internet do help, but what we really look for is a single easy-to-find source for all famous dead people in this universe.

This may have been a tall order earlier but, thanks to Krishna Andavolu (and a few others), now we have Obit Magazine – an online magazine on obituaries, epitaphs, retrospectives and memorabilia of public figures from around the world. In fact, Obit Magazine is much more than that. If one were to go by its masthead, the online magazine is about ‘life death transition’ – a sort of look at life through death.

Here’s what it says in the introduction to the website’s Meet Obit section:

“Death gives life its immediacy. Because we know it will end, we savor and value life all the more. Obit examines life through the lens of death. Whether it’s the loss of a person, a place, an object or an idea, life’s constant change presents an opportunity for examination, discussion and even celebration.

By examining the transformations we face, we can understand how the past influences our time and our future. Obit aims to offer a forum for ideas and opinions about life, death, and transition that you will find nowhere else.”

Although Obit Magazine specialises in obituaries, it offers sections on topics such as just died, editor’s picks, arts & media, books, business & politics, sports, science, died on the same day, retrospectives, and best send-offs. There are blogs and forums too – as well as features such as news feeds, newsletters and a search facility.

You can log on to Obit Magazine here… and celebrate life as well as death.

[Citation: The title of this post is reproduced from Obit Magazine. The complete line, which appears just below the website’s masthead (except on the home page), states “Death is only half the story. Obit is about life…”]