Former art and culture critic--and current obituary writer--Neil Genzlinger joins Karen from his office at The New York Times. They discuss the elements that make an obituary great, who he’d want to write his obit when the time comes, and how he won three (3!) Moth Open-Slam Storytelling competitions.
Farewelling founder Karen Bussen asks New York Times Obituary Writer (and three-time Moth Storytelling Champion) Neil Genzlinger about how writing stories recapping other people’s lives has changed his own perspective on mortality, how he feels about “irreverent” personal tributes, and what the similarities between a great obit and a successful Moth story are (hint: there are quite a few!). Neil encourages us all to do a mind-blowing thought exercise in self-reflection...using just the facts.