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Slate<\/em> posted this long list and several sidebar articles\/interviews on Wednesday. (I’m guessing they compiled it a while back and waited for a relatively slow news day to post it.)<\/p>\n Slate, Dan Kois, 20 July 2022<\/strong>: The 50 Greatest Fictional Deaths of All Time<\/a><\/p>\n Subtitle: “The most tearjerking, hilarious, satisfying, and shocking death scenes in 2,500 years of culture.”<\/p>\n Part of my curiosity about such lists is that I am not actually very cultured — many classic books and films I’ve never seen! — and I was curious to see how many of these 50 I was familiar with. (There are science fiction folks — writers and critics — who somehow have managed to absorb much more popular and classic culture than I ever have. American novels, 19th century European novels, the Greek “classics,” and on and on; while another writer I can think of seems to have seen every movie ever made, and posts a daily “Patreon” looking back at one or another.)<\/p>\n So from this list, here are the ones I’ve seen, heard, or read:<\/p>\n I’ll count Beowulf<\/em> and Macbeth,<\/em> though I read them back in high school and not since. I’ve seen the musical and movie Les Miserables<\/em>, but not read the book. I’ve seen the movie of Little Women<\/em>, though not read the the book. Sherlock Holmes<\/em> — yes, all the stories at least up until “The Final Problem”. Also movies and TV versions.<\/p>\n Others yes: The Wizard of Oz<\/em>; “The Lottery”; The Lord of the Rings<\/em> (books long ago, movies when they came out); Psycho<\/em> (several times); Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead<\/em> (the play); Bonnie and Clyde<\/em> (long ago); The Left Hand of Darkness<\/em>; Watership Down; MASH;<\/em> Hitchhiker’s Guide<\/em>; Doonesbury;<\/em> Thelma and Louise<\/em>; Angels in America<\/em> (the entire play, twice); Brokeback Mountain<\/em>; A Storm of Swords<\/em> (only the TV version); The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao<\/em>; Up; Contagion.<\/em><\/p>\n So this counts up to… 23! Not too bad. A few of the recent ones on the list, games and even some movies, I’ve never heard of. Falling out of touch with popular culture, I guess. I have a copy but have not read Richard Powers’ The Overstory<\/em>, a novel about trees, which just came out a couple years ago.<\/p>\n Part of my problem, however, is that I don’t retain close memories of most books or movies. Of the 23, for example, I can only call to mind the specific death scenes referred to in about half. This memory issue is why I so frequently take detailed notes of books I read.<\/p>\n This link<\/a> shows the sidebar essays, almost all by Dan Kois but some interviewing the creators, about<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Slate posted this long list and several sidebar articles\/interviews on Wednesday. (I’m guessing they compiled it a while back and waited for a relatively slow news day to post it.) Slate, Dan Kois, 20 July 2022: The 50 Greatest Fictional … Continue reading