Death: A Life

This is an amazingly funny book. Pendle has an astonishingly wry sense of humor, which is coupled with an endearing sympathy for his characters. By turns sarcastic and sentimental, Death: A Life is a tour de force of creativity, conjuring up a hilarious biography of Death's birth, addiction to Life, and clinical recovery. With exquisite prose, Pendle writes with verve, never leaving the reader to languish in a dull moment. I can't remember the last time a book made me laugh out loud like this one!

Fantastic! One of the funniest interpretations of mythological creation I have ever read. Told from Death's perspective, a diabolical take on God's work through the ages. Death's frequent reference to himself as "...I am the End of All Things," followed by a good shove into the oblivion darkness is just the way I'd want to go. I love the explanations for the beginning of polytheism and the condensing to monotheism, "We are cutting our costs and down sizing..." so told by the human race. His description of souls taken, "many evil villains suffered hernias from having to sustain their diabolical cackling for months on end...", was an extreme delight. Death's first impression of heaven "much like a run down casino vs. the brochure" leads us further into the twisted world of Pendle's book. Only Death would have the guts enough to pin a post-it on God's back.."Take my Name in Vain". I could not turn a page without laughing out loud.

i just finished the first 2 chapters and i am having an incredible good time reading this book. this book is a hilarious and twisted pageturner of black humor! *lol* pendle's witty way of describing "His-tory" shows immense creativity and a vast knowledge of the discussed material. the more you know about religion and mythology, the more you will get a kick out of the story. and even better if you are able to make fun out of life. people stating this book was a waste of their time are just not opend minded enough to enjoy a funny book about life, death and religion - this book is simply not meant to be taken serious! i didn't have such a good time reading a book for a long time. people who love this book will also enjoy terry pratchett's hilarious characterization of DEATH in various of his discworld books.

It's rare that I find any book such as this where I can't just put it down for more than five minutes before wanting to pick it back up again (if I can put it down at all!) Something about this book has a draw, as Death explains his draw to the dead, like metal to a magnet. My desire to read this book followed me everywhere, and as it sits beside me now I wish to pick it up again! Motion sickness on car-rides didn't stop me, and neither did the constant nagging of work to be done. I was enthralled, intoxicated, tied to this book and drinking it in whenever and wherever I could manage! The subject matter is intriguing enough to capture the reader, and the utter sacrilege of the humor inside is enough to keep a smile on your lips through it all. Nostalgic Trees, Snarky Unicorns, Maude's love of dying, and a Spoiled Rotten Christ; every joke is memorable and worth at least a good chuckle out loud, if not a good belly-laugh. The plot as well has a magnificent flow of mystery, tragedy, and romance, all in a conveniently controversial package laced with sex and violence. Just as Death described the Roman Empire, it's "a bloodbath, a slaughter sauna, a Jacuzzi of gore." Ok, maybe a little more toned down. I do not want to heighten expectations for those who just won't get it, because this book is vulgar, crude, and a complete mockery of Creation and God Himself. However, for those who like to poke fun at things as this, or who can find humor in the obviously funny, this is the perfect book. It's witty, shocking, and perhaps even moving! I'd suggest it to anyone who isn't easily offended!

This book is just downright hilarious! No, the humor is not for everyone but if you are partial to The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy or Monty Python, this is a must read. Irreverant, blasphemous, and original. The more you know about ancient mythology, theology, art and literature, the better this book is! If you're looking for a lesson, forget it. If you're looking for a deep message, look elsewhere. If you're looking for a laugh, a giggle, the occasional snort and a lot of silliness - this will fit the bill.