I've been a fan of Mo Rocca for decades and this book does not disappoint. Much like his podcast of the same name, Rocca brings life to people who's lives may have been forgotten by the world at large. Every essay is a delight.

Was hoping for more depth to use as a research text with students. Love Mo's humor and approachable writing, however.

What a nutty, creative, interesting, fascinating, intriguing book. It's witty, obscure, historical, thoughtful, original. I enjoyed it in spite of the wonky ARC formatting (lots' of beige squares that I assume are images). I think this one will make a great audiobook.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Having been a fan of Mo Rocca’s episodes on CBS Sunday Morning for quite some time, I jumped at the offer of Net Galley to read and review an advance copy of his new book Mobituaries. A definition needs to set out the premise of the book: Mobituary: (noun) An appreciation for someone or something that did not get the love deserved the first time.

Building on his popular podcast, Mo takes on additional well-known and not so well-known personalities to give information missing from the official obituaries. He adds new dimensions to some names immediately familiar like Billy Carter and Audrey Hepburn. He pairs obituaries of people who died the same day like Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson or Sammy Davis, Jr. and Jim Henson and lets us know which one rated the above-the-fold notice in the newspaper. He notes several surprising advocates for justice including Elizabeth Taylor and Lord Byron.

In addition to telling the stories of people, he includes other dead things – dragons, countries, station wagons, and sports teams. A highlight for football fans, especially if you cheer in the SEC, is his coverage of the murder of Auburn’s live oaks of Toomer’s Corner and his attempt to understand the killer. Old favorites turn up here and there like Satchel Paige, one of my father’s favorite ball players and humor such as his definition of the Prussian Kaiser as another word for emperor or hard roll.

The dedication at the end was one of my favorite parts of the book with a tongue-in-cheek but appreciative look at his father who passed on a love of reading obituaries. The book reads like Mo speaks on Sunday morning with a lot of fun for his fans who also love quirky obituaries and can be enjoyed in snippets if you can bring yourself to put it down.

What a fun and informative read. I enjoyed it a lot. Obits were one of my first newspaper jobs and I wish my subjects had been as interesting.

It feels a bit strange to call Mobituaries a fun book. After all, it is full of obituaries of people from various walks of life and times. Obituaries aren’t supposed to be fun. Or entertaining. Are they? But, with the Mo Rocca touch they can be both. In his book, Mobituaries, Mr Rocca has written obituaries for people, fads, objects, events, and even beliefs that may not have received the attention they deserved. His writing is crisp, his research extensive, and his touches of humor are just right.

This is the type of book that can be enjoyed over time. It is insightful, thoughtful, and interesting. Plus, the reader will also learn more about Mo Rocca himself, as he relates some of his mobituaries to his own life and experiences.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

I knew I would like this book as soon as I read, “Mo Rocca has always loved obituaries.”

That is an understatement. He brings these people, places, and things to life with his words and gives them what seems to be a special honor posthumously that may or may not have existed during their lifespan. My own memories of getting up every Sunday morning to watch CBS Sunday Morning and hearing new and interesting stories, many brought to the screen by Mr. Rocca, prompted my request for this book.

The organization of the book is interesting and doesn’t throw all the information at the reader en mass. Pictures and formatting provide for a nice visual experience. The approach of the author to address each topic with respect and impartiality made each topic immensely enjoyable, especially the chapter on Audrey Hepburn. I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone, but especially lovers of history.

This book is exactly what I expected from Mo Rocca - brilliant and well-written. The biographies are candid and don't drag on forever (just like a good obituary). I am going to read his other books, as this was such a good read!

The best adjective to describe Mo Rocca is "curious." From a very early age, his seemingly insatiable curiosity has led him to seek out facts, particularly in areas in which he is passionate about -- subjects as diverse as they are intriguing. This may have started earlier, but his love of the 1974 World Book Encyclopedia and continued fascination with its depth of interest led to his having it today line the walls of his bedroom.

Mobituaries the podcast led to this eponymous book in which Rocca provides sendoffs for people (and things ad even places) that didn't get their just due when they died. He provides a brief history of why the person (place or thing) is important and worthy of remembrance. There is so much to love in this book. As a contributor to CBS Sunday Morning, he talked about his podcast and book, which covers material not on the podcast, and aired the fascinating segment on Herbert Hoover. One of his loves is visiting Presidents' homes and libraries, even the disgraced "bad" ones. (Will he ever visit Trump Tower?) I experienced his passion for musical comedy once at a reunion of the cast and creators (Stephen Sondheim!) of Into the Woods. What makes these essays so much fun to read is hearing in my head his distinctive voice, since there is so much humor and warmth throughout. Very very highly recommended.

Thanks to @netgalley and @mobituaries for this #arc. First off holy thanks Mo for filling my days and nights with intriguing parts of unknowns. If you guys love to be fascinated. Learn new things. Like history. Like to read. Want to go on an adventure #buythisbook #history #knowledge #christmasiscoming #hanukkahgifts #whatever this is a book I'll be buying for my oldest and one for myself. Fascinating fabulous read full of #themoreyouknow🌈

This is probably best as a book you put out for the “occasional” read, so that the reader can peruse it for the people or things they find the most interesting. Each short chapter reads more like the research information and/or script that would accompany the podcast of Mobituaries, and as such is best read in short spurts. I believe the book would also be preferable as an audiobook one might choose to listen to as they do their daily exercises for example.
As someone who has enjoyed various reports from Mo Rocca, particularly on CBS Sunday Morning, I could often hear his voice giving the information, particularly when he would interject some of his clever, dry humor. Those were, perhaps, the best passages for me, with one exception. As an Auburn University alumna, I enjoyed reading his information that gave the history of Auburn’s famous tradition of papering Toomer’s corners and the story of how the trees were poisoned by a somewhat overzealous (to put it politely) Alabama fan.
It was also interesting to me to learn the history of the two schools, which went a long way toward explaining the great divide. Not being a native of the state, I never quite understood the depth of passion that I often found existed between the two sets of supporters. The MOBITUARIES’ chapter gave me an insight I didn’t have before, and also is the best example for why I think this book is best for those who want to look in depth at a particular subject or individual. I could easily see this book in a doctor’s waiting room, on a coffee table, or in the basket of “while you’re here” reading people sometimes put in their bathroom.
My thanks to Simon and Schuster Publishing and NetGalley for providing me an Advanced Digital Read copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I have always enjoyed Mo Rocca's dry humor on NPR and CBS Sunday Morning so I was super excited to read Mobituaries! I am happy to say that it lived up to my expectations. Rocca's humor shines through in his writing. He presents stories about dearly departed famous or infamous folks as well as cultural icons like the station wagon. He gives us little-known facts about these people and things in a lighthearted but well-meaning and well thought out way. This book is great for anyone who loves history, pop culture, or just likes a good true story.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Mo Rocca has provided entertaining obituaries for interesting people who were otherwise left without much said about them!

While the pace, at times, felt slow and plodding, the information was so rich and descriptive. I would definitely say this book is better served as a chapter a day type of read. A coffee table book, maybe. Trying to sit and read through more than one chapter at a time just felt like cramming for a history test. Taking the time to read a chapter here and there with breaks in between help the vast information sink in. He definitely gets credit for spicing up his wealth of knowledge with lots of funny quips, and truly silly comparisons.

Overall, I enjoyed the idea behind this book, and the things I learned about each person were, at the same time, amusing and enlightening.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for a free copy of the this book to read and review.

f you are unfamiliar with the author Mo Rocca as I was other than knowing that he has been on "Wait Wait don't tell me program on NPR. He also a correspondent for CBS and has a Podcast with the same title of this book.
This book is walk thru history in various forms, there are past countries or empires, circus oddities, did you know there was a woman that was 7' 11" tall ? Sections on past presidents and founding fathers and various entertainment stars. A lot of these individuals or items would at most rate a bleep on the obituaries page. The author many deserve a deep understanding or description on what they really gave back to society or what meant.
Like I listed in the title this book felt a big encyclopedia.

The only down side to this book which might have made me consider giving it 3 1/2 stars was toward the last third seem to sort of plod. Maybe it would be a better type of book by reading a chapter or two and then comeback to it now and than.

Cool read for sure. It was funny and learned a lot - not sure there’s much more I could ask for! I was a little worried by the title that it would be kind of morbid, but it wasn’t at all - it was more like a history of a bunch of cool/random people and they happened to all be dead but it’s not *about* their deaths.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for a free ecopy of the this book to read and review.
sometimes 3, sometimes 4. I have to say I always love when Mo Rocca does a segment on CBS Sunday morning. Its always entertaining and informative. He's a smart and funny guy. So the disappointing thing to me was reading these obituaries vs hearing him talk about them. I could see the difference when I read the Herbert Hoover one and then saw it on the sunday morning show. So it does depend on your style and preference. I think I"m going to have to go back and listen to podcasts. However, this was an entertaining book. Mr Rocca is an excellent researcher, a great story teller and picks people for reasons you might not think of. And explores parts of their lives you never knew about. definitely a worthwhile read!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview this ARC of Mobituaries by Mo Rocca.

I mostly know Mo Rocca because my mom references him a lot on her favorite show Sunday Morning, a show full of interesting and heartlifting stories. But Mo Rocca has been around for a while, doing talk shows, podcasts, and comedy. One of his newest ventures is his podcast Mobituaries, where he highlights people, events, fads, thoughts, beliefs that maybe didn't get the recognition they deserve. Its all done with the delightful Mo-esque dry humor winks and nods that make it so fun. I love how much research and personal anecdotal examples he was able to use. This is a fun and educational read.

I have been listening to Mo Rocca's new podcast since it first started and have anxiously awaited MOBITUARIES. It is everything I was hoping it would be and so much more. Rocca digs into the lives of those whose obituaries do not do them justice. He allows us to see who they were as a person before they were the person we know them to be (famous or infamous), and he doesn't just cover people. The "others" are just as interesting, but you will have to read the book to find out to what I am referring. I have always enjoyed Mo Rocca's segments on CBS Sunday Morning. He seems to always have fun with the information he is presenting. He presents fabulous information and his voice always draws me in to his wonderful storytelling. I can't wait until the audiobook comes out so I can actually hear HIM read the stories to me.

All the things I love about the podcast have carried over to the pr t edition. Mo’s personality is just as evident on the page as it is on the TV screen. And any book that begins with a 70 word sentence about George Washington diagrammed on the page is nerd-bait enough for this librarian! I applaud the diversity of subjects, the arcane facts and interconnections. Predicting this to be a best-selling holiday gift book. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the early reading access.

So very happy to have had the opportunity to read Mobituaries by Mo Rocca. What a fantastically written book and what a facinating topic. I too enjoy a good obituary so I knew I would enjoy this book, especially when I saw who the author was. I haven't ever listened to a podcast, I'm not quite sure how they differ from a radio program but if I were to listen to one, Mo Rocca would top my list. When I have had the pleasure to see him on tv I found him very interesting. I feel the same way with his writing.

Rocca's writing style is easy, casual, conversational. He imparts or rather shares information without pretension. Mobituaries is the kind of book you can carry in your bag and pull it out whenever you have a few minutes. Of course, if you are like me, it will be very hard to put down. It is also the kind of book that the reader will just have to read an entry (or two or three or more) aloud to whoever may be within shouting distance. Hopefully said reader will have interested or at the least understanding people around them, if not, well, the dog will listen, the cat not so much. You know how aloof they can be at times.

I highly recommend Mobituaries by Mo Rocca; there really is somsthing for everyone. I plan on looking for it as a book on tape (I suppose it must be book on disc?) for my folks for Christmas. They go on long drives and this is just the thing to listen to on their trips. Besides, any book that gives a shoutout (is that the right word?) and acknowledges the contribution to justice, books and education of my favorite royal, Richard III gets my attention, my vote, my money. Read this book, you will not be disappointed.