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Evelyn Arthur St. John Waugh (1903-66) http://tinyurl.com/Waugh

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The Funeral

From The Loved One: An Anglo-American Tragedy, 1948.

Reader: Jessica Teeter

"This is a purely fanciful tale, a little nightmare produced by the unaccustomed high living of a brief visit to Hollywood," or so warned one British writer before leading his readers down a twisted path of post-mortem prose.

Evelyn Waugh was one of many prominent writers drawn to Hollywood. Intrigued by Tinsel Town's obsessive fascination over funerals, he created "Whispering Glades," in his 1948 novel The Loved One.

The Loved One, book cover for the first edition, 1948. Larger.

Dennis passed through and opening the door marked Enquiries found himself in a raftered banqueting hall. The "Hindu Love-song" was here also, gently discoursed from the dark oak paneling. A young lady rose from a group of her fellows to welcome him, one of the new race of exquisite, amiable, efficient young ladies whom he had met everywhere in the United States. She wore a white smock and over her sharply supported left breast was embroidered the words, Mortuary Hostess. "Can I help you in any way?"

"I came to arrange about a funeral."

"Is it for yourself?"

"Certainly not. Do I look so moribund?"

"Pardon me?"

"Do I look as if I were about to die?"

"Why, no. Only many of our friends like to make Before Need Arrangements."

Often remembered for his satire, Waugh also wrote distinguished travel books, biographies, and, of course, novels.

–Contributed by Meghan Bass.