The last words of the dying often provide insight into their feelings about life. Some are peaceful (“It is very beautiful over there”—Thomas Alva Edison); many are spiritual (“Don’t ask the Lord to keep me here. Ask him to have mercy”—Walker Percy); others are angry (“God-damn the whole frigging world and everybody in it—except you Carlotta”—W.C. Fields); still others reflect the weary fight against death (“I’m bored of it all”—Sir Winston Churchill). Nearly 2,000 deathbed quotations from saints, popes, statesmen, scientists, soldiers, musicians, athletes, artists, entertainers, writers, criminals and others are included in this reference work. Each entry includes a brief biographical sketch of the person and sets the quotation in context. The sources for the quotes include biographies, newspaper and magazine accounts, and, in a few instances, firsthand accounts.

C. Bernard Ruffin is a high school teacher and Lutheran minister. He lives in Reston, Virginia.

C. Bernard Ruffin

Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 269
Bibliographic Info: bibliography, keyword index
Copyright Date: 2006 [1995]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-2552-5
eISBN: 978-1-4766-1063-4
Imprint: McFarland

Introduction      1
The Dictionary      9
Sources      211
Index      237

• “useful keyword index…an engaging book, useful for research as well as reference”—Choice
• “Ruffin’s treatment of this subject is the last word”—ARBA