52 McGs.: The Best Obituaries from Legendary New York Times Reporter Robert McG. Thomas Paperback – Import, 4 April 2008

Regular readers of The New York Times will have noticed that while the paper's style has a certain consistently, some of its writers stand out anyway. Robert McG. Thomas was one of those writers. He made his mark not with flash, but with grace, and he did it in the most unlikely place of all: the obituary pages. Thomas (who died in early 2000) had an eye for detail, and an amazing touch in telling not just a life story, but the story behind it. Many obit junkies picked up on and actively sought Thomas's obits between 1995 and 1999; one was Chris Calhoun, who has pulled together this excellent collection of 52 of McG's finest offerings. They aren't stories of the most famous figures who passed on during his tenure. Quite the opposite, these are often people you hadn't heard of, but who, thanks to Thomas's style, won't want to forget. He could be serious, and he could be funny. He's as good writing about the South Vietnamese officer who famously executed a Viet Cong prisoner on camera as he is with "The Goat Man." He's as insightful on the woman who helped create soap operas as he is on the Greenwich Village icon who created nothing but a hipster reputation. Every miniature profile here entertains and informs, as the cliché goes. This is a great little collection; one could only wish for more.

McG, as fans called him, wrote the funniest, most creative obits in the world —-at least that’s what I think based on limited knowledge. His wit and attention to detail sometimes were just a cover for deeper intent and meaning. It’s a great experience for the reader.

McG wrote obituaries for the NY Times, and is credited with turning something which had once been a chore into true art. His obits are like perfect short stories, except they aren't fiction, which makes them all the more fascinating. McG's prose style is simple and unadorned, yet he always, almost uncannily, manages to get directly to the heart of things; the reader feels as if the subjects were friends: they are brought to life (ironically). This collection is great as a complementing partner to Marilyn Johnson's book, Dead Beat.

The great obit writers are the best short story writers ever. I only wish that this book was longer -- more McG and his extraordinary mini bios, please.

An absolutely delightful collectionof stories concerning a myriad of interesting non-famous people whospent part of their lives doing thingsthat impacted our times.