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Morbid Curiosity: The Disturbing Demises of the Famous and Infamous
The strange, startling, disturbing, and utterly fascinating stories behind the world's most notorious celebrity deaths.
Death sells. Just about everyone slows down upon passing the scene of a car accident, wanting to look but ashamed of their grim fascination with another's unfortunate end. And when a public figure bites the dust, the fascination increases tenfold. From historical figures like Attila the Hun and Sir Walter Raleigh to contemporary names like River Phoenix and Anna Nicole Smith, the deaths of the rich and famous provoke endless speculation and tabloid fodder. Anyone can recall where they were when Princess Diana died, even if they are unable to remember who was president at the time.
Noted celebrity journalist Alan W. Petrucelli has covered some of the world's most famous people some right until their deaths. In "Morbid Curiosity," he presents the most disturbing, unexpected, occasionally humorous, and often outright appalling details of the final exits of the rich and powerful.
Death sells. Just about everyone slows down upon passing the scene of a car accident, wanting to look but ashamed of their grim fascination with another's unfortunate end. And when a public figure bites the dust, the fascination increases tenfold. From historical figures like Attila the Hun and Sir Walter Raleigh to contemporary names like River Phoenix and Anna Nicole Smith, the deaths of the rich and famous provoke endless speculation and tabloid fodder. Anyone can recall where they were when Princess Diana died, even if they are unable to remember who was president at the time.
Noted celebrity journalist Alan W. Petrucelli has covered some of the world's most famous people some right until their deaths. In "Morbid Curiosity," he presents the most disturbing, unexpected, occasionally humorous, and often outright appalling details of the final exits of the rich and powerful.
239 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
22 people are currently reading
216 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
January 21, 2025
This was a peppy little volume on a not-so-peppy subject...the deaths of famous celebrities, criminals, and historical figures. I really got into this and would have even gone for more detail, thanks to the way the author set up the descriptions. It certainly taught me a few items, such as learning that the ashes of Sacco and Vanzetti sit in a can at the Boston Public Library. Who would have thought that?
I also liked the way the chapters are set up, with sub-titles focusing on deaths by car, deaths by fire, deaths by overdose, and so on. Yes, it's morbid, but then I am a curious reader. Thus, the perfect title for a book that will leave you wanting more (ergo, Wikipedia).
Book Season = Winter (morbid time)
I also liked the way the chapters are set up, with sub-titles focusing on deaths by car, deaths by fire, deaths by overdose, and so on. Yes, it's morbid, but then I am a curious reader. Thus, the perfect title for a book that will leave you wanting more (ergo, Wikipedia).
Book Season = Winter (morbid time)
November 14, 2009
I am *that* girl. The one who likes to wander through graveyards, looking at headstones, and imagining what life must have been like for the people buried there. Or how they died. I especially like the gravestones with that little ceramic plaque that has a headshot of the person buried there.
So this book was definitely one for me. It was very interesting to read how the famous & infamous died. Even though I wish I'd taken it in small doses, so it would last longer, I couldn't. Read the whole thing in 2 days, and that was *with* trying to put it down. Even watched several hours of TV & a movie, but obviously the rest of the time? Nose in the book.
I recommend this to anyone else who also suffers from "Morbid Curiosity".
So this book was definitely one for me. It was very interesting to read how the famous & infamous died. Even though I wish I'd taken it in small doses, so it would last longer, I couldn't. Read the whole thing in 2 days, and that was *with* trying to put it down. Even watched several hours of TV & a movie, but obviously the rest of the time? Nose in the book.
I recommend this to anyone else who also suffers from "Morbid Curiosity".
October 14, 2012
Updated Hollywood Babylon without the pictures. I found Petrucelli's snarky tone really off-putting, especially as he mocks people he just interviewed and got to know right before their deaths. His author's voice made me sad. I think it's possible to cover this same material in a respectful way, but basically I'm just not that interested in the deaths of celebrities. Give me a graveyard over a pop-cult obituary any day.
June 20, 2010
This book wasn't as 'morbid' as you'd think - there were actually a lot of interesting stories and things that I didn't previously know.
May 31, 2012
I just can't get enough of this book! I am not ashamed to say I am Morbidly Curious and this book feeds that curiosity.
February 15, 2022
This is one of those that I took my time with. I picked it up randomly while simultaneously reading two other books. I hadn't heard of this book before but spotted it randomly in the horror section of a small town book store. It's written well but began to drag in when I attempted to read it all in one go. If you're looking for some interesting facts about very old actors and musicians then this would be a good read. More than anything I'm amused that the previous owner wrote his name in the cover. Ironically, he's the professor of Occupational and Environmental Health at a local state college.
December 11, 2020
This book supplies the kind of stuff that makes people interesting at parties, particularly if the guests have had a few drinks. I made the mistake of reading it right before going to bed, which I don't recommend because who wants to lie in bed and think about how people died ? I find myself cornering my husband and telling him, "Did you know...?" He's probably tired of hearing about dead people.
March 7, 2018
A few interesting facts, but not as many as I had hoped. The "last words" chapter was okay. And I did learn that a celebrity is buried in my hometown cemetery. I didn't find the authors remarks to be, as some people have called them, snarky. I just though that most of his attempts to be witty, failed. I didn't think it bad enough to stop reading. But I don't recommend it.
June 5, 2018
None of my own books were particularly calling to me when I noticed this was available on Overdrive. I'm a huge fan of these fun, pop-culture-y, trivia books and certainly learned a thing or two - though I could have done without the author's comments. His attempts at puns and witticisms didn't connect with me and felt more crass and humorous.
July 31, 2019
It was an interesting read throughout. Learned some interesting little tidbits and inspired some research along the way. I take a long time to finish most books, so don't take the time to read vs interest into account.
January 5, 2024
It’s fine for what it is.
August 14, 2024
Humans are crazy
January 11, 2025
I have a very morbid curiosity. I always have. Some of these tales were interesting but the author was judgmental and thought he was way more clever than he actually was.
August 10, 2024
Details deaths of various celebrities. I liked the author's sense of humor.
February 6, 2011
Morbid Curiosity is a collection of facts about the "Disturbing Demises of the Famous and Infamous", detailing the deaths of movie stars, writers, musicians and various other celebrities and notorious figures from history.
While Morbid Curiosity does touch base on the deaths of recent, contemporary stars such as Heath Ledger, Michael Jackson and Natasha Richardson, the stories even go as far back as the year 453 to shed light on the death of Attila the Hun.
I really appreciate and enjoy Petrucelli's blunt and matter-of-fact style; for example there have been so many different conspiracy theories on the deaths of figures including John F Kennedy, Elvis Presley, Adolf Hitler, Marilyn Monroe and others that Petrucelli is easy to clarify here. I agree with Petrucelli's very confident tone that his explanations are truly the way these people died.
I am also amused by how forgiving the media is regarding certain deaths of respected celebrities. Some of the fatal cancers that led to many demises are due to the less angelic characteristics some notable figures are portrayed as having. An example in point: John Wayne's "stomach cancer" is actually a kinder term for the colon cancer he suffered due to his heavy diet of meat, and I'm leaving it at that. Do the research and you'll know better. My point is that I chuckled over some of the terminology used in some instances, and I have a hunch that with his dry sense of humor, Petrucelli chuckled as well.
Morbid Curiosity is a fun novel for those seeking some intellectual discussion or comic relief. It's a perfect book for a road trip too!
Alan W Petrucelli has also written Liza! Liza! An Unauthorized Biography of Liza Minnelli (1983). Wow -- the material Petrucelli could have added to that book if he had waited several more years!
Read more book reviews at http://dreamworldbooks.com.
While Morbid Curiosity does touch base on the deaths of recent, contemporary stars such as Heath Ledger, Michael Jackson and Natasha Richardson, the stories even go as far back as the year 453 to shed light on the death of Attila the Hun.
I really appreciate and enjoy Petrucelli's blunt and matter-of-fact style; for example there have been so many different conspiracy theories on the deaths of figures including John F Kennedy, Elvis Presley, Adolf Hitler, Marilyn Monroe and others that Petrucelli is easy to clarify here. I agree with Petrucelli's very confident tone that his explanations are truly the way these people died.
I am also amused by how forgiving the media is regarding certain deaths of respected celebrities. Some of the fatal cancers that led to many demises are due to the less angelic characteristics some notable figures are portrayed as having. An example in point: John Wayne's "stomach cancer" is actually a kinder term for the colon cancer he suffered due to his heavy diet of meat, and I'm leaving it at that. Do the research and you'll know better. My point is that I chuckled over some of the terminology used in some instances, and I have a hunch that with his dry sense of humor, Petrucelli chuckled as well.
Morbid Curiosity is a fun novel for those seeking some intellectual discussion or comic relief. It's a perfect book for a road trip too!
Alan W Petrucelli has also written Liza! Liza! An Unauthorized Biography of Liza Minnelli (1983). Wow -- the material Petrucelli could have added to that book if he had waited several more years!
Read more book reviews at http://dreamworldbooks.com.
September 1, 2012
I have to say that this book is aptly titled, because it is most definitely for the morbid of mind, and is chock-full of disturbing, creepy, and kind of sad tid-bits about the deaths of "the famous and infamous". If that floats your boat, then this book is probably right up your alley.
The author who has been a celebrity writer for many years, clearly revels in the minutae of death, and readers should be warned that he clearly has no reverence for death, dying or the dead, be they serial killers or celebrities. The way in which he presents the various vignettes of death are most definitely irreverent, and his humour would probably be considered by some as in bad taste. If, however, you are more open-minded, you will probably find his humourous presentation amusing - I admit I did.
The book does appear to have been fact-checked rather loosely, and while I did not look up every instance where I thought the circumstances presented sounded somewhat off to my memory, the one I KNOW is incorrect is the listing of the Plaza where Kennedy was shot as "Delaney" rather than the correct Dealey. So how much of what is presented is fully correct is a bit suspect.
Nevertheless, the book is most definitely entertaining, if you are of a morbid frame of mind. It contains many of the stories of the demises of Hollywood stars from 1910 to 2009, stories about many of the myths surrounding various deaths [i.e. was Jayne Mansfield really decapitated?], a section on the deaths of famous animals, the last meals of a number of well-known folks, suicide notes, last words, and dead Presidents. It may not be reverent, but the book is full of good stories, and it was fascinating.
The author who has been a celebrity writer for many years, clearly revels in the minutae of death, and readers should be warned that he clearly has no reverence for death, dying or the dead, be they serial killers or celebrities. The way in which he presents the various vignettes of death are most definitely irreverent, and his humour would probably be considered by some as in bad taste. If, however, you are more open-minded, you will probably find his humourous presentation amusing - I admit I did.
The book does appear to have been fact-checked rather loosely, and while I did not look up every instance where I thought the circumstances presented sounded somewhat off to my memory, the one I KNOW is incorrect is the listing of the Plaza where Kennedy was shot as "Delaney" rather than the correct Dealey. So how much of what is presented is fully correct is a bit suspect.
Nevertheless, the book is most definitely entertaining, if you are of a morbid frame of mind. It contains many of the stories of the demises of Hollywood stars from 1910 to 2009, stories about many of the myths surrounding various deaths [i.e. was Jayne Mansfield really decapitated?], a section on the deaths of famous animals, the last meals of a number of well-known folks, suicide notes, last words, and dead Presidents. It may not be reverent, but the book is full of good stories, and it was fascinating.
December 27, 2015
An unusual reading choice for me -I was feeling low and un-Christmassy nd fir some reason selected this book from my Kindle library.
It is quite fascinating and I made full use of my Kindle's wi-fi to look at celebrity biographies and read more detail on the lives of particular people mentioned.
The book covers celebrities mainly of the Western world - Hollywood centric but there are several other non-American mentions.
The book discusses natural deaths, drug overdoses, accidents, suicide and murders with a section on last words, a selection of suicide notes and random tidbids of info. There is a separate section for Presidents as well, and a part about those celebs who were affected by death hoaxes. Some mentions of living celebs are dated now as some have passed since TH publication of this book so it could do with an update.
The research done was detailed enough to be interesting but what irritated me was the attempts at humour to lighten the tone of the book. They were cheesy and sometimes really inappropriate.
Weirdly enough, rather than making me more depressed this book made me look at life differently and has perversely cheered me up and taught me about so many people I never knew before. Morbid curiosity indeed.
It is quite fascinating and I made full use of my Kindle's wi-fi to look at celebrity biographies and read more detail on the lives of particular people mentioned.
The book covers celebrities mainly of the Western world - Hollywood centric but there are several other non-American mentions.
The book discusses natural deaths, drug overdoses, accidents, suicide and murders with a section on last words, a selection of suicide notes and random tidbids of info. There is a separate section for Presidents as well, and a part about those celebs who were affected by death hoaxes. Some mentions of living celebs are dated now as some have passed since TH publication of this book so it could do with an update.
The research done was detailed enough to be interesting but what irritated me was the attempts at humour to lighten the tone of the book. They were cheesy and sometimes really inappropriate.
Weirdly enough, rather than making me more depressed this book made me look at life differently and has perversely cheered me up and taught me about so many people I never knew before. Morbid curiosity indeed.
December 28, 2011
I may indeed be bad person for reading and enjoying this somewhat trashy book entirely about death. I'll at least admit to being kind of morbid. and I certainly got my daily dose of morbid here. For the most part, it isn't as sensational as it could be (Hollywood Babylon, anyone?) and at least pretends towards a certain amount of E! News level respectability. (No, that isn't saying much.) For the morbid and the star watchers, and not really for anybody else.
December 14, 2011
Nothing particularly earth-shattering, but it's a nice, concise collection of the morbid, the macabre, the poignant, the hilarious, and the (occasionally) profound. At times, it's a bit too trashy for its own good, but it certainly holds one's attention. A solid reminder that history can be studied from many angles.
March 11, 2011
I would give this one 5 stars but there are parts that are writen badly and I had to reread them a couple of times to figure out what the author was saying. Plus some items ready could have used a little more info but over all it's a get topic so I loved it.
September 2, 2013
Nice sense of humor; really lightened things up. Plus I actually learned some stuff: now every time I see the Mansfield bar I can remember not only this book, but how it came to be named after Jayne Mansfield.
November 20, 2013
I have read many similar books and expected the same old stuff. But it surprised me. I think part of it was better writing, and the author somehow made these famous ppl more real, more personal.and not just a list of names and facts.
February 4, 2015
This book was a guilty pleasure. It's filled from cover to cover with interesting bits of death trivia from the Hollywood stars to royalty. Definitely a great read. It is a bit morbid, but, hey, the title warned us fair and square!
Currently reading
November 25, 2009Ha, so interesting!!!
July 10, 2011
I would definitely say that I have a morbid curiosity about certain things and this book fed my curiosity.
Read
January 8, 2013A unique book that's a mix of morbid and historical.
I dog-eared several stories for further study.
Nice to carry in your purse when you don't know how much time you will have to devote to reading.
I dog-eared several stories for further study.
Nice to carry in your purse when you don't know how much time you will have to devote to reading.
January 20, 2013
Thoroughly entertaining and some great info!
June 10, 2013
As always I go back to stories of the dead. A number of books on dead celebrities are out there. This one is informative bite-size pieces. Perfect light-reading for the, well, morbidly curious.
May 18, 2016
Not worth the money
Stories are old news and rather boring. Don't bother to buy this.waste of money. I could have written this without the author s hurtful comments.
Stories are old news and rather boring. Don't bother to buy this.waste of money. I could have written this without the author s hurtful comments.
July 10, 2016
2.5 stars.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews