An obituary writer makes a grave error in John Kenney's 'I See You've Called in Dead'

Summary

NPR's Book of the Day: An Obituary Writer’s Grave Error in John Kenny's I See You've Called in Dead

Episode Release Date: April 14, 2025
Host: Andrew Limbong
Guest Author: John Kenny

Introduction to the Episode

In this engaging episode of NPR's Book of the Day, host Andrew Limbong delves into John Kenny's latest novel, I See You've Called in Dead. The episode explores the intricate blend of humor and mortality through the lens of an obituary writer who inadvertently publishes his own obituary, setting off a series of comedic yet profound events.

Overview of I See You've Called in Dead

John Kenny, a journalism major who once had to pen his own obituary, channels this unique experience into his novel. The protagonist, Bud Stanley, is an obituary writer who takes a bold step by publishing his own obituary, leading to unexpected and humorous consequences.

Notable Quote:

"You have to sum up the entirety of a person's life in a single article, which is impossible, but you do your best anyway."
— Andrew Limbong [00:02]

Plot and Character Dynamics

Bud Stanley’s Predicament

Bud Stanley, portrayed as a man grappling with personal turmoil, writes and publishes his own obituary after a series of unfortunate events, including a disastrous blind date, bad news from his ex-wife, and excessive drinking.

Notable Quote:

"Bud is a guy who is lost, but doesn't quite know it."
— Bud Stanley [03:05]

The Aftermath of Publishing His Obituary

Once Bud's obituary is live, the company he works for discovers his "death," leading to ironic and bureaucratic complications since they cannot legally fire someone deemed dead.

Notable Quote:

"They desperately want to fire him, but then after a few days they realize that he is dead to the company's enormous system and they cannot legally fire a dead person."
— Bud Stanley [03:17]

Emotional and Physical Journey

Bud embarks on a journey, accompanied by his friend Tim, attending funerals and wakes. This physical journey mirrors his emotional quest for meaning and connection.

Notable Quote:

"That's really the essence. It's this journey, physical and emotional journey that Bud is making with his good friend Tim to these wakes and funerals."
— Bud Stanley [03:48]

Themes Explored

Male Friendship and Intimacy

A central theme of the novel is the depth of male friendship. Bud relies heavily on his friend Tim, highlighting the challenges and nuances of male bonds.

Notable Quote:

"I think the bulk of this story is about male friendship."
— Bud Stanley [04:29]

Humor as a Coping Mechanism

Kenny emphasizes the role of humor in dealing with the inevitability of death. Through Bud's story, the novel illustrates how laughter can be a vital outlet in the face of life's darkest moments.

Notable Quote:

"The flip side of it is this valve release of humor. And I very much wanted that to be part of the book."
— Bud Stanley [06:32]

Personal Inspirations Behind the Novel

John Kenny draws inspiration from his personal experiences and reflections on loss. Growing up in Boston, reading obituaries in the Boston Globe instilled in him a fascination with how succinctly lives are captured. Additionally, the passing of his brother in 2019 profoundly influenced the novel's tone and themes.

Notable Quote:

"I grew up in Boston and my parents always read the Boston Globe obituaries. They called it the Irish sports page. I find them fascinating because there are these whole lives in 2, 3, 400 words."
— Bud Stanley [05:44]

Balancing Darkness with Humor

Kenny discusses the delicate balance of addressing death's gravity while infusing the narrative with humor. This approach not only makes the subject more approachable but also underscores the resilience of the human spirit.

Notable Quote:

"I want to write a funnyish book about death because it gave me chills to in the face of the great unknown."
— Bud Stanley [08:36]

Dedication and Personal Loss

The novel is dedicated to Kenny's brother, Tom, who was a firefighter and a key figure in the Massachusetts FEMA team during 9/11. Tom's battle with pancreatic cancer, likely contracted during his service at 9/11, and his enduring spirit significantly influenced the novel’s emotional core.

Notable Quote:

"We dedicate the book to him. A really remarkable guy... he was able to find that dark, wonderful humor that makes life worth living."
— Bud Stanley [07:13]

Conclusion and Author’s Reflection

John Kenny concludes by expressing his desire to create a narrative that confronts death with humor and humanity. His personal loss and reflections have culminated in a novel that not only entertains but also invites readers to contemplate life, death, and the connections that sustain us.

Notable Quote:

"He was able to find that dark, wonderful humor that makes life worth living."
— Bud Stanley [08:36]

Final Thoughts

I See You've Called in Dead by John Kenny is a poignant exploration of life, death, and the power of humor to navigate the complexities of human existence. Through Bud Stanley’s journey, readers are invited to reflect on their own lives, relationships, and the ways we cope with loss and the unknown.

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Transcript

[Andrew Limbong]

Hey, it's NPR's Book of the Day. I'm Andrew Limbong. As a reporter, I've written my fair share of obituaries, and it's a tough gig. You have to sum up the entirety of a person's life in a single article, which is impossible, but you do your best anyway. The author on the pod today, John Kenny, majored in journalism and once had to write his own obituary. The exercise inspired his new novel, I see you've called in Dead, about an obit writer who, yes, writes his own obit. But then he takes it a step further and actually publishes it, and hilarity ensues from there. Kenny talked to NPR Scott Simon, about reading obituaries in the Boston Globe growing up and how thinking about death actually pushes him towards humor. That's after the break.

[Scott Simon]

This message comes from BetterHelp. Therapy can be expensive, but at BetterHelp, they believe therapy should feel accessible, not like a luxury, which is why they offer quality care at a price that makes sense and can help you with any, from anxiety to everyday stress. Your mental health is worth it, and now it's within reach. Visit betterhelp.com NPR to get 10% off your first month. That's betterhelp.com NPR Bud Stanley writes obituaries for a living.

[John Kenny]

He knows you are more likely to be killed by a cow than a shark, among many other mordant facts. One night he has a disaster of a blind date, gets bad news from his ex wife, goes home, has too much to drink and then writes too much.

[Bud Stanley]

Bud Stanley, the first man to perform open heart surgery on himself, died today in a hot air balloon accident. He was 44. His wife, Ms. France, has confirmed the.

[John Kenny]

Death at the wire service where he works. The next day, the security guard tells him, I'm so sorry, Mr. Bud, but it appears you are maybe expired. Bud Stanley had written and posted his own obituary. I see you've called in Dead is the new novel from John Kenny, the longtime New Yorker contributor. He joins us now from our studios in New York. Thanks so much for being with us.

[Bud Stanley]

Thank you for having me, Scott.

[John Kenny]

Quite an inventive obit. He writes for himself.

[Bud Stanley]

Isn't is it's more wishful thinking than actual fact. It's one of those late night things that he shouldn't have done.

[John Kenny]

Is it in addition to being maybe a product of too much to drink, a kind of electronic Freudian slip, is that what he's really feeling about himself?

[Bud Stanley]

Yeah, I think that's fair to say. Bud is a guy who is Lost, but doesn't quite know it. As you said, he's two years into a divorce, his wife has left him, he's lost the spirit of his job and he's not quite sure what to do. So he's sitting there making up these absolutely ridiculous things about his own life, kind of wondering what the point of it all is.

[John Kenny]

He's fired, but then he can't be fired. What happens?

[Bud Stanley]

Well, they desperately want to fire him, but then after a few days they realize that he is dead to the company's enormous system and they cannot legally fire a dead person.

[John Kenny]

Since he can't quite stop living or working, Bud starts going to funerals of people who makes you wonder maybe he should have been going to them all the time before.

[Bud Stanley]

Yeah. The catalyst for that first wake he goes to is his ex wife's mother passes away and he was kind of close with her and he goes, and that's a nightmare because he's seeing his ex wife for the first time in two years. She's happily remarried to a far better looking and more interesting man with an.

[John Kenny]

English accent, as she tells him too.

[Bud Stanley]

Yeah, indeed. After the wake, he meets a young woman who is there for no other reason than she wanted to come to the wake and funeral of a stranger. And Bud is stunned by this and says, well, why? She said, well, it's the secret. And he says, the secret to what? And she said, well, you have to find that out. And she suggests a funeral to him and he goes and he keeps going. That's really the essence. It's this journey, physical and emotional journey that Bud is making with his good friend Tim to these wakes and funerals.

[John Kenny]

And tell us about Tim. He's an especially vital character and a lot going on in his life, doesn't he?

[Bud Stanley]

Yeah. So after Bud is divorced, he finds a small apartment in Brooklyn and it's owned by this sort of almost a Gatsby esque character, except he's a true renaissance man. He's this remarkable guy. He was in a bad accident and is in a wheelchair and yet his physical wound doesn't keep him from living and from every few months having a Gertrude Stein esque salon in Brooklyn for sort of ne'er do Wells part time poets and cellists. And Bud finds a community with Tim and relies on Tim in a way that he desperately needs. You know, in a way, I think the bulk of this story is about male friendship. You know, my wife has many close friends and the intimacy with which they talk, whether it's on the phone or in person is so radically different than my. With my very small group of guy friends. You know, I'll say, you know, how you doing? And they'll say, fine. What they really mean is, I'm doing terrible. I wake up at 3am crying. I lost my job and I'm worried about money.

[John Kenny]

What sparked your interest in obituaries?

[Bud Stanley]

I was journalism major in college, and as part of the many different assignments we had, one of them was to write our own obituary. And I did not remotely take it seriously, which I know will come as a surprise to you, Scott. And so it stuck with me. But I grew up in Boston and my parents always read the Boston Globe obituaries. They called it the Irish sports page. I find them fascinating because there are these whole lives in 2, 3, 400 words. And when they're done well, and they often are, it's a hard thing to do, to capture someone's life, the little nuances, not just where they went to school or their children's names. I find them really fascinating.

[John Kenny]

I came across some words recently. Art Buchwald, great man, ostensibly a humorist, like you absolutely. Once said the I don't know what happens to us when we die. The question is, why are we here in the first place?

[Bud Stanley]

Yeah. And that's an individual question. And I know my answer, which is to try to be a decent friend and a great father and a semi unannoying husband and to try to enjoy myself. You know, I did want to share. It's an intense subject, death. But the flip side of it is this valve release of humor. And I very much wanted that to be part of the book. The catalyst for the book came in 2019. I'm one of five brothers, Boston Irish family, and one of my brothers passed away in 2019. Tom and I dedicate the book to him. A really remarkable guy. Like our father and grandfathers, he was a firefighter and just a big handsome guy who loved life and loved his job. And he was on the Massachusetts FEMA team down at 9 11. And we think he contracted his illness, pancreatic cancer, during his time at 9 11. But during those five months we would visit, my brothers and I. I'd come up from the Boston area and his wife called and said, you know, you really should get up. And I arrived first and Tom was in a lounge chair with a blanket on him, far thinner than his normal self, but still very much in there in that dark Irish humor. And we chatted and I heard a car pull into the driveway and I saw it was my other brothers. And I turned to Tom and I said, the others are here. And with this Buster Keaton like stone face but a little grin on his face, he dropped his head to one side and dropped his arm off the chair and trying to hide a smile, said, tell them they're too late.

[John Kenny]

And I thought, can I laugh?

[Bud Stanley]

Absolutely. Because I did too. And I thought, I want that in a book. I want to write a funnyish book about death because it gave me chills to in the face of the great unknown. He knew what was about to happen. He was able to find that dark, wonderful humor that makes life worth living.

[John Kenny]

John Kenny his new novel. I see you've called him dead. Thanks so much for being with us.

[Bud Stanley]

Thank you, Scott.

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[Scott Simon]

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