James R. Hagerty
In a surprisingly upbeat, heartfelt book about a serious subject, The Wall Street Journal's veteran obituary writer, award-winning journalist James R. Hagerty, shares his unique skills with those who want to have the last word with flourish, honesty, and even humor. Whether in-brief for future newspapers and websites, or as a more complete mini-memoir for friends and family, Yours Truly is a guide to making sure your story is told the way you want – and how the process of preparing your own life story can help you live a better life.Someday, your life story is likely to be boiled down to a few lines. If you leave things to chance, your obituary is almost sure to be solemn, formulaic, and full of errors—an obligatory final chapter written in haste by others. James R. Hagerty, longtime obit writer for
The Wall Street Journal, knows how to get the job done right: Do it yourself, starting now, while you still can. In this heartfelt and reassuring guide, Hagerty explains how to preserve your personal history—from crafting a brief obituary for newspapers and websites, to a more thoughtful and detailed mini-memoir for those close to you. Through his personal stories, on-the-job anecdotes, and insights, you will learn what to include, what to leave out, and how to provide historical context, record oral histories and make the most of details, all with candor and wit. Best of all, you'll find that reviewing your life story helps you think about what you're doing with your time on Earth and whether you're on the right path. It isn't too late to improve the narrative with a stronger ending. Telling your story
your way can be the best gift you ever give to friends and loved ones—and yourself.
"Write your own obituary. Intimidating? You bet. Especially if you don't think of yourself as a writer, as few do. In Yours Truly, author James R. Hagerty draws on his experience writing more than 1,000 obituaries to offer tips for telling your own story. Whatever your age or health, an inventory of your life so far can help you decide if you're on the path you intended, and if you aren't, lead you to another." —People
"In a surprisingly upbeat, heartfelt book about a serious subject, The Wall Street Journal's veteran obituary writer, award-winning journalist James R. Hagerty, shares his unique skills with those who want to have the last word with flourish, honesty, and even humor. Whether in-brief for future newspapers and websites, or as a more complete mini-memoir for friends and family, Yours Truly is a guide to making sure your story is told the way you want - and how the process of preparing your own life story can help you live a better life." —Caregiver Book Club
"A gem, a pleasure to read, full of fascinating life stories. [The author's] aim is to get you to sit down and write -- a short piece, a book-length autobiography, or even your own obituary. I will. So should you." —Progressive Farmer
"Chances are that most people will pick up "Yours Truly" as a sort of primer on leaving a life's legacy to children and grandchildren, which good. That's how this book is meant. But while you're learning how to preserve your stories and write your own obituary, author James R. Hagerty gives you something else to do, too: he'll entertain you with dozens and dozens of obits from (above) average people." —The BookWorm
"By asking probing questions ("What were you trying to do with your life? Why?") Hagerty helps readers preserve their legacies by writing mini-memoirs for those closest to them. Examining the past might even lead readers to make beneficial changes for the future." —The Washington Post
