We have this book called 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, and it’s great. I love leafing through and reading all about movies I’ve never heard of, and tagging ones I like to see.

Honestly though, every time I look at the book, I’m struck by how odd the title is. You’d think putting death in a film book title would be the end of it, since no one likes thinking about death. You’re trying to find a good DVD for a wet Friday night, and this book has the audacity to remind you of your mortality: “Not many wet Fridays to go; better make sure you see Paris, Texas and The Shining“.

The SMH today reports that the co-author of a book called 100 Things to Do Before You Die has died, without doing everything on his list.

He died after falling and hitting his head at his home. What a tragic irony.

The reason why the title of these books doesn’t undo their appeal is because no one really takes the dying bit in the title too seriously; it’s just a catchphrase.

But of course, the book’s power lies in having death in the title as well. The mention of death sets off a spark in people, which creates a sense of urgency. I know I’m going to die, and I want to have really lived. It’s actually fear that drives this sort of thing – the deep and unspoken fear of death and the fear that I’ll have missed out on something.

But I’m not the first person to point out that it’s all made meaningless if each of us ends when our heart stops beating. It won’t matter if I ‘missed out’ on doing something, or that I felt fully alive and invigorated and joyful while doing one of these things. It’s good to feel that way, but it’s all zeroed out by death.

And yet death is the clever hook that makes these titles work.

From the SMH article:

“This life is a short journey,” the book says. “How can you make sure you fill it with the most fun and that you visit all the coolest places on earth before you pack those bags for the very last time?”

Pack your bags for where? A long holiday? If people really thought they were packing their bags for a better place, 100 Things to Do Before You Die would have no appeal.

But they don’t know where they’re going. And that’s scary.