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Podcasts > NPR's Book of the Day > An obituary writer makes a grave error in John Kenney's 'I See You've Called in Dead'

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

By NPR (podcasts@npr.org)

In John Kenney's novel, protagonist Bud Stanley copes with a post-divorce crisis by creating an unlikely obituary claiming his own premature demise. What ensues is a comedic unraveling that ultimately forces Bud to confront his purpose and mortality through the unexpected lens of becoming a regular at strangers' funerals.

As the blurb synopsis indicates, Bud's faux obituary and newfound fondness for attending funerals, including his ex-mother-in-law's, begins as comedic farce but evolves into a deeper journey of self-reflection. Friendships, particularly with his landlord Tim, and discussions about life's complexities offer Bud a way forward as he navigates a shifting sense of identity.

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

This is a preview of the Shortform summary of the Apr 14, 2025 episode of the NPR's Book of the Day

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

1-Page Summary

The Protagonist's Self-Authored Obituary and Its Aftermath

Protagonist Bud Stanley, reeling from personal setbacks, pens a fanciful obituary announcing his premature demise, leading to unexpected consequences.

Bud's Exaggerated Obituary Reflects His Existential Crisis After Divorce

The obituary Bud writes, filled with absurd claims like performing self-surgery and dying in a hot-air balloon accident, mirrors the author Michael Kenney's state of feeling lost and unsure of his purpose after a divorce.

Bud's employer finds themselves unable to officially terminate him due to the obituary declaring him deceased, trapping Bud in an employment limbo.

Bud Attends Strangers' Funerals, Sparking Self-Reflection

Attending funerals for strangers leads Bud to confront his sense of purpose and mortality, per Kenney. At one service, a woman encourages Bud's peculiar new pastime, hinting at a deeper lesson.

Protagonist's Journey After "Death"

Bud's Obituary Reveals His Post-Divorce Crisis

The obituary serves as an inadvertent confession of Bud's feelings of displacement after his divorce, highlighting his search for direction in a nonsensical new reality.

Bud Attends Funerals to Confront His Past and Find Meaning

Attending funerals, including his ex-mother-in-law's, forces Bud to face his past choices. The somber events mirror his life back at him, pushing self-reflection rather than grief.

Role of Male Friendship in Story

Bud's Landlord Tim Offers Community Through Salons

After his divorce, Bud finds renewed purpose through friendship with landlord Tim, who hosts diverse discussion salons welcoming Bud into a new community.

Funeral Outings Strengthen Bud and Tim's Emotional Bond

Attending wakes together allows Bud and Tim to explore life's complexities, solidifying a male friendship showcasing the profound emotional support men can provide each other.

1-Page Summary

Additional Materials

Counterarguments

  • The obituary may not realistically create a legal limbo; most employers would likely investigate and quickly resolve the situation.
  • Attending strangers' funerals could be seen as intrusive or disrespectful to the deceased and their families, rather than a path to self-reflection.
  • The story may oversimplify the complexity of post-divorce emotions and the process of finding new direction.
  • The narrative might underrepresent the potential for other forms of support beyond male friendship, such as professional therapy or support from family.
  • The idea that attending funerals of people he didn't know helps Bud confront his past could be challenged as an unlikely method for personal growth.
  • The portrayal of Tim's discussion salons as a source of renewed purpose could be critiqued for not addressing other aspects of Bud's life that may need attention, such as his career or family relationships.
  • The emphasis on male friendship might overlook the importance of diverse social support systems, including friendships with women or non-binary individuals.

Actionables

  • Write a fictional eulogy for yourself to explore your life's achievements and aspirations. This exercise can help you gain clarity on what you value most and what legacy you want to leave behind. Imagine what you would want people to remember about you and use this as a guide to realign your current actions with your long-term goals.
  • Start a journaling practice where you reflect on one past decision each day. This can help you understand the impact of your choices and foster personal growth. By examining the outcomes and your feelings about these decisions, you can learn more about yourself and how to make better choices moving forward.
  • Create a 'salon' group with friends or neighbors where you discuss meaningful topics once a month. This can strengthen your emotional bonds and provide a support network similar to the one Bud found with Tim. Choose diverse and thought-provoking subjects to ensure a rich exchange of ideas and perspectives, which can lead to a deeper understanding of yourself and others.

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

The Protagonist's Self-Authored Obituary and Its Aftermath

After a series of unfortunate personal events, protagonist Bud Stanley composes a whimsical obituary for himself, leading to unexpected consequences and revelations.

Protagonist Bud Stanley Writes His Premature Obituary After a Disastrous Blind Date and News From His Ex-wife

Bud Stanley, grappling with loss and an existential crisis, pens an obituary that is as exaggerated as it is fanciful. In this self-authored pronouncement of his demise, he boasts of impossible feats such as conducting open-heart surgery on himself and ultimately succumbing to death at the young age of 44 in a hot-air balloon incident, survived by his purported spouse, Miss France.

Obituary Bud Writes Is Exaggerated and Fanciful, Reflecting His Loss and Existential Crisis

The obituary crafted by Bud speaks volumes about his current state of mind, reflecting his deep sense of loss and the underlying existential crisis that has pushed him to this absurd act of self-eulogizing. The content is far from reality, hinting at Bud's desire for a life more extraordinary than the one he has.

Employer Can't Fire Bud After Obituary Since He's "Deceased" in System

In a twist of fate, Bud's employer, who plans to terminate his employment, finds themselves legally restrained. As per the company’s records, Bud has been declared "deceased," preventing them from processing his dismissal in the usual manner.

Bud's "Death" Leaves Him In Limbo, Unable to Be Fully Fired or Rehired, Attending Strangers' Funerals

Caught in bureaucratic limbo, Bud cannot be officially fired or rehired by his employer. This peculiar situation leads him to an odd pastime—attending the funerals of individuals he’s never met.

Funerals C ...

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The Protagonist's Self-Authored Obituary and Its Aftermath

Additional Materials

Actionables

  • Explore your own feelings about mortality by writing a fictional obituary for yourself. This can be a creative exercise to reflect on your life's achievements and what you hope to accomplish. Imagine the legacy you want to leave behind and use it as a motivation to pursue your goals.
  • Use humor and creativity to deal with bureaucratic issues by writing a satirical story or comic strip. If you're facing a frustrating situation at work or with any institution, channel your feelings into creating a humorous piece that can provide a cathartic release and perhaps even offer a new perspective to others in similar situations.
  • Connect with others by ...

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Lori Gottlieb

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone is a memoir by psychotherapist and author Lori Gottlieb. She discusses a difficult time in her life following a sudden breakup with her long-term boyfriend. The incident upset her so badly that it drove her to seek therapy herself.

This book is the story of Lori’s time in therapy, interwoven with stories about Lori’s own patients. Though each of their situations is different, their shared struggles and how they overcome them reflect common experiences that all people share—in fact, Lori says that the reason therapists can be effective is precisely because they have those same struggles. As Lori and her patients work together toward health and understanding, they reflect on their pasts—how they got to be where they are now—and the futures they’d like to have.

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

Protagonist's Journey After "Death"

The tale of Bud, the protagonist, unfolds as a metaphorical resurrection through the process of self-discovery and reconciliation with his past, particularly after a divorce that spiraled him into an existential crisis.

Bud's Obituary Reveals His Existential Crisis Post-Divorce and Loss of Purpose As an Obituary Writer

Bud's obituary, likely penned by his own hand, stands as an unintended confession — a Freudian slip that reveals the depths of his feelings of displacement and confusion about his role in the world post-divorce.

Obituary Reveals Bud's Freudian Slip, Showing His Feelings Of Being Lost and Unsure of His Place

The obituary serves as a public display of Bud's internal struggles, inadvertently showing his sense of being lost and uncertain about his place in life. The text, riddled with absurdities and nonsensical elements, mirrors his internal turmoil and the farcical nature of his efforts to find direction in a life that no longer makes sense to him.

Bud's Attendance at Funerals, Including His Ex-mother-In-law's, Confronts His Past and Changes

Bud’s journey takes an unexpected turn when he begins attending funerals — even that of his ex-mother-in-law. The act of showing up to funerals, especially one that brings him face-to-face with his former spouse and her new partner, forces Bud to confront the reality of his past and the magnitude of the changes that have shaped his present.

Bud's Journey Through Strangers' Funerals Becomes a Path to Self-Discovery

As Bud traverses the landscape of grief and remembrance through the attendance of strangers' funerals, each eulogy, each folding chair by the graveside, ...

Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary

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Protagonist's Journey After "Death"

Additional Materials

Counterarguments

  • The metaphor of resurrection might be seen as overly dramatic or cliché in the context of self-discovery after a personal crisis like divorce.
  • It could be argued that Bud's obituary, while revealing his existential crisis, might not be the most effective way to convey his internal struggles to the reader, as it could be seen as too abstract or indirect.
  • The idea that Bud's attendance at funerals leads to change could be challenged by suggesting that real change often requires active engagement with life rather than passive observation of death.
  • The notion that Bud's journey through strangers' funerals is a path to self-discovery might be criticized for romanticizing grief and the experiences of others for personal enlightenment.
  • The concept that funerals push Bud to reflect on life and mortality could be co ...

Actionables

  • You can write a fictional obituary for yourself to explore your life's achievements and areas for growth. Imagine you're at the end of your life and draft an obituary that highlights your accomplishments, dreams, and the legacy you wish to leave behind. This exercise can serve as a powerful reflection tool to assess your current path and make adjustments where necessary.
  • Start a journal where you document your thoughts and feelings after attending various life events, such as weddings, graduations, or community gatherings. Use these reflections to identify patterns in your emotional responses and understand how different life milestones impact your sense of self and purpose.
  • Create a personal "funeral" for a part of your life you're l ...

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

Role of Male Friendship in Story

The narrative dives into the transformative effects of male camaraderie, as it plays a pivotal role in Bud's life by offering solace and reflection during tumultuous times.

Bud Befriends His Landlord, Tim, Gaining a Sense of Community During His Crisis

Tim, In a Wheelchair, Offers Bud a Space for Diverse Discourse

After facing the distress of a divorce, Bud finds renewed purpose through an unexpected friendship with his landlord, Tim. Despite being in a wheelchair from an accident, Tim embodies a zest for life, organizing salons that create a vibrant community for wide-ranging conversations. These gatherings not only help Bud assimilate into a new environment but also enrich his understanding of varied perspectives.

Bud and Tim's Bond Highlights Emotional Support in Male Friendship

Tim becomes a crucial figure to Bud, providing emotional sustenance beyond traditional gender constructs. The landlord’s active presence in Bud's life reveals the profound emotional support that male friendships can offer—a contrast to the commonplace presumption that men often conceal their personal crises with perfunctory reactions like declaring they are "fine."

Bud's Journey Through Funerals Shows the Value of Friendship During Personal Upheaval

Attending Funerals Helps Bud and Tim Bond and Explore Life's Complexities

The bonding takes a deeper route as Bud and Tim attend numerous wakes and ...

Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary

Registered users get access to the Full Podcast Summary and Additional Materials. It’s easy and free!
Start your free trial today

Role of Male Friendship in Story

Additional Materials

Counterarguments

  • The narrative may oversimplify the complexities of male friendships by focusing on a single type of bonding experience, such as attending funerals, which may not resonate with all readers.
  • The story might inadvertently reinforce the stereotype that men need to go through hardship or crisis to form deep friendships, which could be seen as a narrow view of male camaraderie.
  • While the author's personal experiences can add authenticity, they might also limit the portrayal of male friendship to a specific perspective, potentially neglecting other forms of male bonding that do not involve shared grief or loss.
  • The emphasis on emotional support in male friendship as presented in the story could be interpreted as exceptional rather than normal, which might inadvertently suggest that most male friendships lack emotional depth.
  • The setting of salons organized by Tim might not be a universally accessible or rel ...

Actionables

  • Start a virtual book club focusing on themes of friendship and loss to explore complex emotions with others. By selecting books that delve into the intricacies of human relationships, you can initiate deep conversations with club members, which can lead to shared experiences and emotional support similar to Bud and Tim's bond. For example, choose a book like "A Man Called Ove" by Fredrik Backman, which deals with themes of friendship and loss, and organize monthly discussions via video calls to dissect the characters' relationships and personal experiences.
  • Create a 'memory jar' with a friend where you both contribute notes about life's moments you've shared. This can be a tangible way to reflect on the experiences that have brought you closer together, much like Bud and Tim's shared attendance at funerals. Each time you and your friend experience something significant or mundane, write it down, date it, and add it to the jar. Over time, you'll build a collection of memories that can serve as a foundation for deeper connection and understanding.
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