Sam Roberts makes death seem hilarious and positively endearing. A master of the mini-biography, Roberts reminds us of the pleasures of the obituary page. It is all about the life-and the thought occurs to me that my own departure would not be so bad if only Mr. Roberts could write the obit!

Kai Bird, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of American Prometheus

The sad decline of local newspapers means the near-extinction of full-time obituary writers. Sam Roberts, one of the best, does a mordantly wonderful job of dissecting the delicate craft of summing up the dead. Next time you're invited to a funeral, stay home and read this book instead. You'll get the gist.

Carl Hiaasen, #1 New York Times bestselling author

It can be hard to admit that obituaries are one of your favorite parts of a paper. Sam Roberts is a maestro composer of the form, and here he gives us a long, loving look into how obits are created. Oddly, this book is fun!

John McWhorter, New York Times bestselling author

"Are They Dead Yet? is amusing, informative, anecdotal, revelatory, digressive, surprising-I could go on, but I'll end with this: Death has never been so much fun.

Daniel Okrent, Pulitzer Prize finalist and first New York Times public editor

Writing obituaries calls for a finely balanced blend of sensitivity, truth-telling, decorum, boldness, humanity, and philosophy . . . Few know the challenges of the job better than Sam Roberts, a (the?) leading obituary writer at The New York Times . . . An engrossing voyage through the practice of his trade.

Ann Wroe, Obituaries Editor, The Economist

An ingenious social history . . . [Roberts] is an ace at compact biography . . . An industrious researcher, mining fascinating nuggets-some profound, some just fun-from sources familiar and obscure.

The Wall Street Journal on THE NEW YORKERS