• Dead People Suck

  • A Guide for Survivors of the Newly Departed
  • By: Laurie Kilmartin
  • Narrated by: Laurie Kilmartin
  • Length: 3 hrs and 44 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (224 ratings)

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Dead People Suck  By  cover art

Dead People Suck

By: Laurie Kilmartin
Narrated by: Laurie Kilmartin
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Publisher's summary

This program is read by the author and includes material recorded in front of a live audience.

An honest, irreverent, laugh-out-loud audiobook guide to coping with death and dying from the Emmy-nominated writer and New York Times best-selling coauthor of Sh*tty Mom, Laurie Kilmartin.

Death is not for the faint of heart, and sometimes the best way to cope is through humor. No one knows this better than comedian Laurie Kilmartin. She made headlines by live-tweeting her father's time in hospice and her grieving process after he passed and channeled her experience into a comedy special, 45 Jokes About My Dead Dad. Dead People Suck is her hilarious guide to surviving (sometimes) death, dying, and grief without losing your mind. Whether you are old and about to die, sick and about to die, or with a loved one who is about to pass away or who has passed away, there's something for you. With chapters like "Are You an Old Man with Daughters? Please Shred Your Porn", "If Cancer Was an STD, It Would Be Cured by Now", and "Unsubscribing Your Dead Parent from Tea Party Emails", Laurie Kilmartin guides listeners through some of life's most complicated moments with equal parts heart and sarcasm.

©2018 Laurie Kilmartin (P)2018 Macmillan Audio; published by arrangement with Rodale Books, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

Editor's Pick

What to expect when you’re grieving—with a side of standup comedy
"Parent death. It’s something that happens to almost everyone, and yet there’s almost no road map for how to handle it. Laurie Kilmartin’s (literal) loss is our gain. A comedian and staff writer for Conan inspired by the death of her own father, she nimbly escorts the newly grieving through the post-mortal quagmire of digital banking, social media, arcane password protection and, yes, even porn. And because it’s peppered with standup comedy recordings and she didn’t-really-just-say-that-did-she observations, I guarantee it’s the only book about death that will have you laughing out loud the whole way through." —Courtney R., Audible Editor

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What listeners say about Dead People Suck

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

you'll laugh and cry a lot

my dad died to pancreatic cancer six months ago. i thought i had come to terms with it, but listening to laurie, i realized i was still depressed, just suppressing it. many memories flooded back and i cried a lot--something i didn't do much after the funeral. thanks for the release and tips. my own tip-- learn and practice the Rosary

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10 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Just what I needed

I buried my father just on February 9th after he lost his battle with cancer. On February 12th I found myself at work trying to function and hold it together, but it just wasn't happening.
Desperate for a distraction during my commute I realized I had a new audible credit, and took a look for a new purchase. As fate would have it this book popped up as a brand new release that day with no reviews, but I took it as a sign and bought it.

If you enjoy swearing, and crude humor as I do, and lost a parent recently, especially if it was to cancer then this is for you. It was unbelieveably cathartic to listen to someone else's oddly similar experience with a dash of witty humor.

Even in death you sometimes have to find the crude and humorous side, which she did just that.

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7 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful, hysterical and brings back memories

I am a 65 year old orphan who ‘lost’ mom when I was 35 and dad when I was 43. Everyone has stories, but if you can keep your sense of humor while all the blocks are falling down around you, you have a much better survival/recovery rate. Seems twisted at times, but if you keep searching for the souvenir shop at the mortuary, you’ll find it! Maybe you had to be there...

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6 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • A
  • 02-18-18

Relatable, hilarious and a great listen

Would you listen to Dead People Suck again? Why?

Yes. This book was super funny. It's like 15 hours of great stand-up for only one audible credit. Anyone would enjoy this book.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dead People Suck?

I quite liked her description of hospice as "here, you do it." It's very true.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Favorite Listen!!

Amazing, funny and beautiful storytelling about a difficult situation we all will face sooner or later - the loss of a loved one. Through humor and wit, Laurie artfully exposes the tender and not so tender moments during her father’s passing and draws you in to each chapter. Everyone with a loved one can benefit from reading this tremendous book.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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So funny!

I loved the live reading! I'm inspired to write my own book in this way! Thank you Laurie!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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She says what we can’t say

I’ve survived the deaths of my stepdad, my mother and my father. I’m getting older and spouses of friends are departing. For all I know, I or my husband are currently incubating some hidden incurable disease. This book was real, honest, funny, poignant, a gift that brings perspective and the right amount of snark to the delicate topic of loved ones dying. Thanks, Laurie. Your dad is proud of you👍🏽

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Wasn't my cup of tea

It was so-so. Nothing huge to recommend. A few funny moments here and there, but not really as explained in the synopsis.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Going through it

I’m going through this now and this book helped. I laughed, I cried. And most importantly, I didn’t feel alone about this grief that has overtaken me like one of those great giant waves that take a surfer to the bottom.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Entertaining book

I was laughing hysterically at most parts. Some were just too wordy but accurate. Gives some in-depth thought to dying parents or loved ones. Highly recommend this audio book.

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