--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Obituaries were among my favorite to…" description: "\"Obituaries were among my favorite to write because they have elements no other news stories have - a story from start to finish with a proper conclusio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/tom-rachman-8194_among_obituaries-were-among-my-favorite-to-wri_2804914.png" --- # Obituaries were among my favorite to write because they… ![“Obituaries were among my favorite to write because they have elements no other news stories have - a story from start to finish with a proper conclusion.” quote by Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/tom-rachman-8194_among_obituaries-were-among-my-favorite-to-wri_2804914.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/tom-rachman-8194_among_obituaries-were-among-my-favorite-to-wri_2804914.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/tom-rachman-8194_among_obituaries-were-among-my-favorite-to-wri_2804914.png) > “Obituaries were among my favorite to write because they have elements no other news stories have - a story from start to finish with a proper conclusion.” [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Obituaries offer a complete narrative arc, unlike other news, making them uniquely satisfying to write. **In simple terms:** Obituaries give a full story. Key Takeaway Appreciate the narrative power of endings. Themes storytelling death journalism Mood somber thoughtful Type journalistic reflective When to use this quote - writing - editing - media studies Key Concepts Narrative closure human interest Questions to Reflect On - What makes a good obituary? - How does closure affect readers? A Different Perspective Focusing on death may be emotionally draining. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Among](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/among/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Conclusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conclusion/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Favorite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/favorite/) [Favorite Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/favorite-write-3477225/) [Finish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finish/) [News](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/news/) [Obituaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obituaries/) [Obituaries Favorite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obituaries-favorite-3477224/) [Other](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/other/) [Proper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proper/) [Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Stories Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories-story-1062294/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Some stories - their story - had a demon in them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/some-stories-their-story-had-a-demon-in-them/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Without our listening, all the stories are the same story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-joy-fowler/without-our-listening-all-the-stories-are-the-same-story/) [Karen Joy Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-joy-fowler/) > [I suppose at one time in my life I might have had any number of stories, but now there is no other. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/i-suppose-at-one-time-in-my-life-i-might-have-had-any-number-of/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) > [Life stories are mostly story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariana-fulger/life-stories-are-mostly-story/) [Mariana Fulger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariana-fulger/) > [All human beings have an innate need to hear and tell stories and to have a story to live by. . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-cox/all-human-beings-have-an-innate-need-to-hear-and-tell-stories-and-to-2/) [Harvey Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-cox/) > [“We all have our own stories. The story you tell about yourself, even if you only tell it to yourself, drives your actions and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mani-s-sivasubramanian/we-all-have-our-own-stories-the-story-you-tell-about-yourself-even-if/) [Mani S. Sivasubramanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mani-s-sivasubramanian/) > [This is one of the reasons I'm so interested in stories. Because everyone has a story in their life, and when their story doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-lekman/this-is-one-of-the-reasons-i-m-so-interested-in-stories-because/) [Jens Lekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-lekman/) > [The saddest fact of climate change - and the chief reason we should be concerned about finding a proper response - is that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjorn-lomborg/the-saddest-fact-of-climate-change-and-the-chief-reason-we-should-be/) [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) > [I think it would be funny for people to read in obituaries of me that my major contribution to the arts was the popularization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/i-think-it-would-be-funny-for-people-to-read-in-obituaries-of-me-that/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [I think too many obituaries have been written about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smriti-irani/i-think-too-many-obituaries-have-been-written-about-me/) [Smriti Irani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smriti-irani/) > [I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-ve-never-wished-a-man-dead-but-i-have-read-some-obituaries-with/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/i-have-never-killed-a-man-but-i-have-read-many-obituaries-with-great/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [“I used to read the obituaries to gloat over all the people I've outlived, but now I don't think it matters, we all live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kjersti-annesdatter-skomsvold/i-used-to-read-the-obituaries-to-gloat-over-all-the-people-i-ve/) [Kjersti Annesdatter Skomsvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kjersti-annesdatter-skomsvold/) > [I don't listen to the news. I don't read the newspaper unless it's eccentric information - and the obituaries, of course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/i-don-t-listen-to-the-news-i-don-t-read-the-newspaper-unless-it-s/) [Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) > [It's not the loss of life that makes the death bitter -- it's the obituaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/it-s-not-the-loss-of-life-that-makes-the-death-bitter-it-s-the/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) ## More by Tom Rachman > [At the outset, my notion of being a writer was that you would have moments of inspiration and moments of frustration, when you'd crumple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/at-the-outset-my-notion-of-being-a-writer-was-that-you-would-have/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [“He cannot deny a certain relief in being able to sift through academic tomes, fulfilling his journalistic duty without having to barge past security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/he-cannot-deny-a-certain-relief-in-being-able-to-sift-through/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [My intent was to gain experience for fiction I eventually hoped to write. But there's no question I was drawn in by the hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/my-intent-was-to-gain-experience-for-fiction-i-eventually-hoped-to/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [“I built and I built— heaven knows I have done that well. Those skyscrapers, full of tenants, floor after floor, and not a single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/i-built-and-i-built-heaven-knows-i-have-done-that-well-those/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [“What is wrong with guys? Half are molting; half are nothing but undergrowth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/what-is-wrong-with-guys-half-are-molting-half-are-nothing-but/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [“What I really fear is time. That's the devil: whipping us on when we'd rather loll, so the present sprints by, impossible to grasp,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/what-i-really-fear-is-time-that-s-the-devil-whipping-us-on-when-we-d/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [“Journalism is a bunch of dorks pretending to be alpha males.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/journalism-is-a-bunch-of-dorks-pretending-to-be-alpha-males/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [My parents used to rent old movies - my whole childhood is in black and white - and it was my dream to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/my-parents-used-to-rent-old-movies-my-whole-childhood-is-in-black-and/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [I went to the University of Toronto to study the history and theory of film, in the back of my mind thinking I'd go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/i-went-to-the-university-of-toronto-to-study-the-history-and-theory/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [The training of a journalist, of working with words for thousands of hours, is extraordinarily useful for a fiction writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/the-training-of-a-journalist-of-working-with-words-for-thousands-of/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [During my past career as a journalist, I relished writing obits and equally dreaded phoning relatives for the necessary facts. But to my surprise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/during-my-past-career-as-a-journalist-i-relished-writing-obits-and/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [“Don't people drown their sorrows in things like scotch? Not strawberry whatever-it's-called.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/don-t-people-drown-their-sorrows-in-things-like-scotch-not-strawberry/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [“Nothing epitomizes the futility of human striving quite like aspartame.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/nothing-epitomizes-the-futility-of-human-striving-quite-like-aspartame/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [“She is a wonderful nerd, and he hopes this won't change. He'd be distressed if she were cool-- it'd be as if his flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/she-is-a-wonderful-nerd-and-he-hopes-this-won-t-change-he-d-be/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [Many things embarrass me, but reading isn't one of them. I'm not ashamed of my slightly weird collection of prison memoirs. Nor the flaky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/many-things-embarrass-me-but-reading-isn-t-one-of-them-i-m-not/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) [Explore all 83 Tom Rachman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) ## More Among quotes > [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/) [Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/) > [Regarding lack of vision or disabilities of the organ of sight, it has long been known among researchers that it is the effect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-heindel/regarding-lack-of-vision-or-disabilities-of-the-organ-of-sight-it-has/) [Max Heindel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-heindel/) > [Most of the more celebrated names among African-American authors, poets, and artists are known to the world because of their association with specific cultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aberjhani/most-of-the-more-celebrated-names-among-african-american-authors/) [Aberjhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aberjhani/) > [I stated that Hiroshima and Nagasaki are 'among the most unspeakable crimes in history.' I took no position on just where they stand on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-stated-that-hiroshima-and-nagasaki-are-among-the-most-unspeakable/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I like to move among painters, mathematicians, psychologists, people who can tell me something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-woodcock/i-like-to-move-among-painters-mathematicians-psychologists-people-who/) [George Woodcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-woodcock/) > [I've seen people be effective, even among local teams, by offering something that improves wellbeing in a small way - people who get passionate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/i-ve-seen-people-be-effective-even-among-local-teams-by-offering/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [The best live among us in disguise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-dudek/the-best-live-among-us-in-disguise/) [Louis Dudek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-dudek/) > [Discord or jealousy inhibits the ability of the Holy Ghost to teach us and inhibits our ability to receive light and truth. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/discord-or-jealousy-inhibits-the-ability-of-the-holy-ghost-to-teach/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [These Americans are among the working poor with full-time jobs earning $5.15 an hour. Millions fall into this boat, even more when you consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcy-kaptur/these-americans-are-among-the-working-poor-with-full-time-jobs/) [Marcy Kaptur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcy-kaptur/) > [Heartless though it may seem to some, among the least harmful things to eat are sustainably culled wild animals. In the absence of natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristram-stuart/heartless-though-it-may-seem-to-some-among-the-least-harmful-things/) [Tristram Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristram-stuart/) > [When I campaign with seniors, it's always, 'Are you a Democrat or Republican?' But when I campaign on college campuses, they ask me where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-schock/when-i-campaign-with-seniors-it-s-always-are-you-a-democrat-or/) [Aaron Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-schock/) > [Among actors, I'd like to work with Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-soni/among-actors-i-d-like-to-work-with-alia-bhatt-and-ranbir-kapoor/) [Karan Soni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-soni/) > [I'm very happy to be among the best and to play with the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinicius-junior/i-m-very-happy-to-be-among-the-best-and-to-play-with-the-best/) [Vinicius Junior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinicius-junior/) > [To my mind, the main reason for the Depression in the United States as a whole, is the bondage of debt and the spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heber-j-grant/to-my-mind-the-main-reason-for-the-depression-in-the-united-states-as/) [Heber J. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heber-j-grant/) > [I have always been considered to be the most German among Italian economists, which I always received as a compliment, but was rarely meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-monti/i-have-always-been-considered-to-be-the-most-german-among-italian/) [Mario Monti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-monti/) [Browse all 623 Among quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/among/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Obituaries were among my favorite to write because they have elements no other news stories have - a story from start to finish with a proper conclusion.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Rachman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/obituaries-were-among-my-favorite-to-write-because-they-have-elements/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Among" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/obituaries-were-among-my-favorite-to-write-because-they-have-elements/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/tom-rachman-8194_among_obituaries-were-among-my-favorite-to-wri_2804914.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/tom-rachman-8194_among_obituaries-were-among-my-favorite-to-wri_2804914.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/tom-rachman-8194_among_obituaries-were-among-my-favorite-to-wri_2804914.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Obituaries were among my favorite to write because they have elements no other news stories have - a story…” — Tom Rachman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tom Rachman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Obituaries were among my favorite to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/obituaries-were-among-my-favorite-to-write-because-they-have-elements/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/obituaries-were-among-my-favorite-to-write-because-they-have-elements/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```