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Introduction

Your last words are probably the hardest you will ever say. First of all, you are almost certain to be in the worst health of your life. If you are lucky enough to be in a hospital at a ripe old age, surrounded by friends and family, you are likely to be distracted by being really, really sick. If you die suddenly, anything other than “Ugggh” can be seen as a win. Outside of the fortunate few, these last words are rarely the ones of serene, calm individuals.

However, despite the fact that final words aren’t always the most eloquent, they are significant. They are often a little glimpse into the speaker: a snapshot of a person’s truest self. Other times they are examples of people reacting to the most difficult situations they will ever face. Some are clever, others are loving, some are heartbreaking, a few are desperately sad, but all say something about the speaker.

In these pages you will find the last words of over two hundred actors, writers, musicians, politicians, criminals, thinkers, athletes, and more. We will look at a brief snapshot of each of these extraordinary lives and the ways in which many of their final words provided a fitting epitaph to a life interestingly lived.

It is worth repeating that none of the speakers involved have responded to requests for authentication or clarification, so we will have to make our best guesses as to the true intention of each. As for the words themselves, some have been passed down through centuries, others were recorded by dubious sources, and all are to be taken with at least a pinch of salt—though many of the most beautiful truths can be found in fabrications.