Complete Collection of Famous People's Last Words

Author: Werner Futter
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: In the final moment of life, there is only—sadness, absurdity, and strangeness. Life is unpredictable, and its outcome is always different from what people imagine. The author, with a witty and skillful approach, presents us with a series of brief and thrilling final words left by celebrities—classic, humorous, and unforgettable. Jesus’ last words on the cross were, “It is finished.” Galileo joyfully bid farewell by saying, “It is indeed moving!” The final words of celebrities are often given a special, prophetic significance. The French essayist Montaigne once pointed out that people often speak the truth when facing death, because lies prevent souls from ascending and receiving God’s forgiveness. However, Werner Futter tells us that death has its own rules and does not follow people’s wishes. People had expected the classical writers Goethe and Schiller to leave final words full of wisdom, but Schiller only left a mysterious phrase, “Index!” And Goethe’s final words were not the profound “More light!” that people imagined, but rather, “Girl, give me your little hand!” to his granddaughter. Goethe’s servant, Klaus, also insisted that, “It’s true, he last called my name—he wanted the chamber pot!” On the other hand, a New York murderer named George Apple, who was sentenced to death, left an unusual kind of humor before his execution. On the electric chair, he said, “Now you can see a roasted ‘Apple’ right away!” According to anecdotes, Werner Futter records the life trajectories of celebrities or those who became famous through their deaths. In the final moment of life, there is only—sadness, absurdity, and strangeness. Life is unpredictable, and its outcome is always different from what people imagine. The author, with a witty and skillful approach, presents us with a series of brief and thrilling final words left by celebrities—classic, humorous, and unforgettable.