DiscoverThe Next Big IdeaCATCHING SOULS: An Obituary Writer’s Lessons for Living
CATCHING SOULS: An Obituary Writer’s Lessons for Living

CATCHING SOULS: An Obituary Writer’s Lessons for Living

Update: 2024-11-21
Share

Description

For two decades, Ann Wroe has written weekly obituaries for The Economist. Some of her subjects are luminaries (Queen Elizabeth II, Paul Newman). Others are little-knowns (cheesemakers, storm chasers, typewriter repairmen). But all of them, in Ann’s words, “have enhanced the world by their existence.” Her obituaries are celebrations of life, and Ann is a soul-catcher — souls, for her, being the best word for the “unique and essential part of ourselves, our self-conscious and transcendent core.” It’s a job that requires empathy, patience, almost tactile curiosity, and, well, love. It’s a job from which we can all learn a great deal.

📕 Lifescapes: A Biographer’s Search for the Soul

📬 We launched a newsletter! It’s called Book of the Day, and you can get a special discount here

🎁 Looking for the perfect gift for the readers in your life? How about a subscription to the Next Big Idea Club! Get 20% off any membership when you use code PODCAST20 at nextbigideaclub.com/gift

Comments 
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

CATCHING SOULS: An Obituary Writer’s Lessons for Living

CATCHING SOULS: An Obituary Writer’s Lessons for Living

Next Big Idea Club