Review Books: Ann Wroe | The Economist Book of Obituaries. By Keith Colquhoon and Anne Wroe. Economist £20

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Published: 16 October 2008

Ann Wroe

Lives of the famous and infamous in her hands

QUESTION: What do an African Grey Parrot called Alex, Hunter S Thompson and Diana, Princess of Wales have in common?
Answer: All have been the subject of lengthy obituaries in the pages of highbrow current affairs magazine, The Economist.
A new book brings together its finest examples, offering mini-biographies of the famous and infamous – and they work as a snapshot reflecting what our society deems important today.
One of its editors is Ann Wroe, who lives in South End Green, Hampstead. Ann, who recently wrote a best-selling biography of the poet Shelley, took on editing the obituaries pages in 2003. “The first thing I look for is a good story,” she says. “I want to write about the lives of people who have been through an extraordinary experience. “I like them to be a bit quirky. I wish we’d done one on the British Leyland Routemaster bus – that is something so missed by Londoners – and I considered doing one on the QE2. Even the simplest of stories can be interesting and enlightening for the rest of us.”
As for the obituaries she has enjoyed writing most, personality seems as in important as achievements. Two that stand out for her are of Australian conservationist and TV personality Steve Irwin: “He was really good fun”, and researching the life and times of Gonzo journalist Hunter S Thompson. The writer committed suicide by shooting himself.
Her piece starts with the words: “There were always way too many guns around Hunter S Thompson’s farm in Woody Creek...”
DAN CARRIER

• The Economist Book of Obituaries. By Keith Colquhoon and Anne Wroe.
Economist £20

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