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Death Wins a Goldfish: Reflections from a Grim Reaper's Yearlong Sabbatical
Even Death cares about his work-life balance...
Death never takes a day off. Until he gets a letter from the HR department insisting he use up his accrued vacation time, that is. In this humorous and heartfelt book from beloved illustrator Brian Rea, readers take a peek at Death's journal entries as he documents his mandatory sabbatical in the world of the living. From sky diving to online dating, Death is determined to try it all! Death Wins a Goldfish is an important reminder to the overstressed, overworked, and overwhelmed that everyone—even Death—deserves a break once in a while.
If you enjoyed Brian Rea's work in Mary Karr's The Liars' Club: A Memoir or in the New York Times' popular Modern Love column you'll love his delightful illustrations of Death in this funny, heartfelt collection of works.
This book is a great gift or self-purchase if you're looking for:
Funny Books
Funny Comics
Humor Books
Death never takes a day off. Until he gets a letter from the HR department insisting he use up his accrued vacation time, that is. In this humorous and heartfelt book from beloved illustrator Brian Rea, readers take a peek at Death's journal entries as he documents his mandatory sabbatical in the world of the living. From sky diving to online dating, Death is determined to try it all! Death Wins a Goldfish is an important reminder to the overstressed, overworked, and overwhelmed that everyone—even Death—deserves a break once in a while.
If you enjoyed Brian Rea's work in Mary Karr's The Liars' Club: A Memoir or in the New York Times' popular Modern Love column you'll love his delightful illustrations of Death in this funny, heartfelt collection of works.
This book is a great gift or self-purchase if you're looking for:
Funny Books
Funny Comics
Humor Books
176 pages, Hardcover
First published February 5, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 410 reviews
March 25, 2021
The author, Brian Rea, at 30, asked his father what, if anything, he would do over. Rea knew his father to be a "work ethic" guy, up at 5, out of the house at 6, back home after dark. His father replied, "Work less."
So Rea imagines that Death, who works harder than almost anyone, never takes vacation days, gets a a notice from HR that he has to use up his vacation days, so he is forced to take a year's sabbatical. He keeps a journal, and does what you might expect, travels, goes to a carnival and wins a goldfish, goes to karaoke, goes back to school, goes to a class or two and drops out.
This is an odd book that just basically affirms the implication of his Dad's regret, that one should play more and work less. There aren't many deeper insights than that. And the things he does are not remarkable and are not, on the surface, anything he gets a lot more out of than work, really, but I still liked it. Okay, maybe 3.5 because I like the artwork. But as Rea himself says in a longish introduction (with a surprising lot of words, given his Death is kinda not verbose in his journal) that he could have done the book with a banana instead of The Grim Reaper and the point would have been the same.
So Rea imagines that Death, who works harder than almost anyone, never takes vacation days, gets a a notice from HR that he has to use up his vacation days, so he is forced to take a year's sabbatical. He keeps a journal, and does what you might expect, travels, goes to a carnival and wins a goldfish, goes to karaoke, goes back to school, goes to a class or two and drops out.
This is an odd book that just basically affirms the implication of his Dad's regret, that one should play more and work less. There aren't many deeper insights than that. And the things he does are not remarkable and are not, on the surface, anything he gets a lot more out of than work, really, but I still liked it. Okay, maybe 3.5 because I like the artwork. But as Rea himself says in a longish introduction (with a surprising lot of words, given his Death is kinda not verbose in his journal) that he could have done the book with a banana instead of The Grim Reaper and the point would have been the same.
October 28, 2024
HR tells Death he must take his vacation time! Really deep look at how even Death has to find time to 'live' once in awhile - I guess it just goes to show we all need to get away from it all every so often. This book will make you laugh at how we view our own mortality - the ways we find to delay what is inevitably that last 'trip' we all have to take.
February 2, 2020
I’m smiling wide. Death on a year-long work sabbatical (he’s never taken a day off and now taking them all at once). He keeps a journal. He learns that there’s more to life than this business of dying. The result is happy-making. :)
July 12, 2019
This was an impulse-read after someone on GR recently read and reviewed it and I liked the concept. So today, in the bookstore, I picked it up.
The story is simple but already chuckle-worthy: Death, like the best of us, gets an e-mail from HR because he's amassed too many days of vacation and is now forced to use them all up.
But what do you do on such a long vacation?
Well, let me tell you, Death had some pretty creative ideas so we follow him along through a year of (self-)discovery. And most of his "adventures" ended like they do regularly for us normal folk.
The drawings are more than simplistic. However, that's not because the artist is as gifted as I am with a pencil - it was done on purpose. And you know what? It's cute (no doubt that was intentional).
For whatever reason, these two were the ones that made me laugh the most.
(Yes, the goldfish remains important.)
Despite it getting the attributes "cute" and "simplistic" from me earlier, I have to say that the author also managed to create a little book that lets the reader reflect on his or her own life. What do we do with it? Every day and during vacation? What are the things that interest us? What makes us happy? What SHOULD we do more often?
A lightweight on first glance, but upon reflection, deeper than some might realize.
The story is simple but already chuckle-worthy: Death, like the best of us, gets an e-mail from HR because he's amassed too many days of vacation and is now forced to use them all up.
But what do you do on such a long vacation?
Well, let me tell you, Death had some pretty creative ideas so we follow him along through a year of (self-)discovery. And most of his "adventures" ended like they do regularly for us normal folk.
The drawings are more than simplistic. However, that's not because the artist is as gifted as I am with a pencil - it was done on purpose. And you know what? It's cute (no doubt that was intentional).
For whatever reason, these two were the ones that made me laugh the most.
(Yes, the goldfish remains important.)
Despite it getting the attributes "cute" and "simplistic" from me earlier, I have to say that the author also managed to create a little book that lets the reader reflect on his or her own life. What do we do with it? Every day and during vacation? What are the things that interest us? What makes us happy? What SHOULD we do more often?
A lightweight on first glance, but upon reflection, deeper than some might realize.
February 11, 2020
It has come to HR’s attention that Death is long overdue for a vacation, having never taken a day off. With some trepidation about being away from work for such a long time, he packs up his things and prepares for a year long sabbatical. Feeling a little disconcerted that he’s not working, should be working, isn’t at work, is not working! he finally settles into his new situation and resolves to make a list of things to do to start living. Amazing the places the Grim Reaper will go! A completely charming and delightful story with fun illustrations that help tell the story and that made me laugh. And a thoughtful reflection in the author’s introduction. A nice parallel to how many of us, myself included, can feel about work when we let it overcome us, and how we can start living again if we make that a priority.
February 27, 2019
Clearly, Death works here in my office. I think he's in the next cubicle over.
This is an extremely cute and relatable book in which Death is told by HR that he needs to take some vacation time. A lot of it. So, with a huge amount of PTO, Death fulfills all his dreams...yes, including winning that goldfish.
Death's sabbatical is adorable and made me smile again and again.
After I read it, my 10 year old stole it and read it as well. She's now wondering if perhaps Death might attend her school...and she wants her own sabbatical.
Five happy stars!
This is an extremely cute and relatable book in which Death is told by HR that he needs to take some vacation time. A lot of it. So, with a huge amount of PTO, Death fulfills all his dreams...yes, including winning that goldfish.
Death's sabbatical is adorable and made me smile again and again.
After I read it, my 10 year old stole it and read it as well. She's now wondering if perhaps Death might attend her school...and she wants her own sabbatical.
Five happy stars!
September 12, 2019
Cute, but not much more. Could be a useful gift for someone who works too much.
2 stars = "It was OK".
2 stars = "It was OK".
December 24, 2023
Super cute and I WISH I could take a whole year off. So glad I picked this one up, though had to enlarge the pictures a lot cuz tiny screen plus old lady eyes equals unable to read it.
4, highly recommended, stars.
4, highly recommended, stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2020
This is the first graphic novel I’ve ever read. Usually they are not my jam, but I read about this book online (no idea where) and it piqued my interest because of the subject matter and the author, who is a NY Times writer.
Death, you see, hasn’t taken a day off in a long time and HR demands he do so by sending him on a year-long sabbatical. What follows are some adventures that Death takes himself (herself?) on, and we are along for the ride, month by glorious month, as Death realizes that all work and no play is not the way to live. Go get this book, the physical one, so you can share this story with someone who might need to hear it.
Death, you see, hasn’t taken a day off in a long time and HR demands he do so by sending him on a year-long sabbatical. What follows are some adventures that Death takes himself (herself?) on, and we are along for the ride, month by glorious month, as Death realizes that all work and no play is not the way to live. Go get this book, the physical one, so you can share this story with someone who might need to hear it.
March 5, 2019
Death takes a holiday and does every stupid thing people do on vacations, with pretty much the same result. Neither funny nor insightful. The art varies from simple to childlike.
Not for me.
Not for me.
August 9, 2019
Droll, with hints of profundity.
November 27, 2020
Pagrindinė mintis gana banali - kad reikia pailsėti nuo darbo. Įvadą tyčia praleidau.
BET! - knyga labai patiko dėl kelių dalykų:
1. Paprastai, bet labai efektyviai naudojamas fonas - vos kelios spalvos, fonas kartais "persigraužia" per figūras, kartais jų detalės "iššoka", naudojama daug pieštuku pribraukyto šešėlio. Taip paprasta, bet taip gražiai susižaidžia tarpusavyje!
2. Paveikslėliuose daug tuščios erdvės, daug pasikartojančių elementų - ir tas, man atrodo, labai gražiai išryškina mintį, kad atostogos yra bent šiek tiek nuobodu, kad jos ir turi būti šiek tiek nuobodžios. Ta erdvė su keliais krūmais aplink, kur tu vaikščioji ir svarstai, ar iš tiesų gerai leidi laiką? Juk turėtum gerai leisti laiką? Ar kažką pasiėmei iš šių atostogų? Ir pasirodo, kad pasiėmei būtent tą nuobodulį, tą tuščią erdvę mintims, kurios yra banalios, nei šiokios, nei tokios, bet gal ir nereikia gilių bei protingų, juk ilsiesi.
Faina knygelė atostogoms ir ne tik.
BET! - knyga labai patiko dėl kelių dalykų:
1. Paprastai, bet labai efektyviai naudojamas fonas - vos kelios spalvos, fonas kartais "persigraužia" per figūras, kartais jų detalės "iššoka", naudojama daug pieštuku pribraukyto šešėlio. Taip paprasta, bet taip gražiai susižaidžia tarpusavyje!
2. Paveikslėliuose daug tuščios erdvės, daug pasikartojančių elementų - ir tas, man atrodo, labai gražiai išryškina mintį, kad atostogos yra bent šiek tiek nuobodu, kad jos ir turi būti šiek tiek nuobodžios. Ta erdvė su keliais krūmais aplink, kur tu vaikščioji ir svarstai, ar iš tiesų gerai leidi laiką? Juk turėtum gerai leisti laiką? Ar kažką pasiėmei iš šių atostogų? Ir pasirodo, kad pasiėmei būtent tą nuobodulį, tą tuščią erdvę mintims, kurios yra banalios, nei šiokios, nei tokios, bet gal ir nereikia gilių bei protingų, juk ilsiesi.
Faina knygelė atostogoms ir ne tik.
April 2, 2022
★ 4.0 Stars ★
Read
May 23, 2023i don't particularly like Rea's art style, but the book itself was kind of calming.
February 17, 2021
Death wins a Goldfish seriously made me smile. It was a fun quick read. I think this book reminds us that we need to slow down and actually live life. The absolute funniest part was the fact that Death's journals were written in cursive, so if you can't read cursive it's a waste of time for you to try and read the book. I judge graphic novels by their illustrations. These illustrations were so hilarious because it looks like a little kid drew them. All of it was on purpose. The puns and some of the things that Death experiences like online dating had me cracking up.
September 1, 2024
(4.5 stars rounded up)
Death Wins a Goldfish was a great read. The artwork was unique and worked well for the story. I especially loved the use of color. It was touching and laugh out loud funny at times. The theme was one we can all relate to, and the author's own contemplation of the topic could be seen in the pages. A strong, solid little tale.
Death Wins a Goldfish was a great read. The artwork was unique and worked well for the story. I especially loved the use of color. It was touching and laugh out loud funny at times. The theme was one we can all relate to, and the author's own contemplation of the topic could be seen in the pages. A strong, solid little tale.
September 21, 2022
Maybe the best book I’ve read this year
January 17, 2024
Never thought I would say this but… death is very cute
May 9, 2023
So, Death has never taken any vacation days or any days off of work at all. HR forces him to take a year long vacation and he decides to make a list and do all of the things he never has. He ends up doing so many things he has never done before!
I have some favorite parts but I don't want to spoil anything. This was just fantastic all around. I couldn't love it more.
I have some favorite parts but I don't want to spoil anything. This was just fantastic all around. I couldn't love it more.
April 26, 2022
I loved it! Death seems like a pretty cool being 😉!! Especially loved Death's experiences in college!
August 28, 2023
I need a goldfish as a friend too now
August 26, 2024
This was cute.
December 28, 2019
A perfect, enjoyable little book. Read it.
October 3, 2021
During the two months of All Hallow's Reading each fall, and for a fair while ahead of that, anything to do with death/murder/horror/suspense etc. that happens to catch my eye goes in the stack. The idea of Death being made to take a sabbatical and use up all that vacation time amuses me. Had I looked to see who the creator was I might have anticipated that it would be rather less funny or morbid than I was hoping, and more quiet observations about modern life in corporate America. It's realistic in all ways except that Death is a job that lots of people have like Sales Rep. The bureaucracy makes sense in a world of 7 billion people; sure, you'd need middle management and HR and all. I wonder what the classified ads would look like.
It was very much a New Yorker Death, so: amusing, thoughtful, understated. I liked it, even though this was no Terry Pratchett Death. Or even Bill and Ted Death.
Library copy
For Magical Realism
It was very much a New Yorker Death, so: amusing, thoughtful, understated. I liked it, even though this was no Terry Pratchett Death. Or even Bill and Ted Death.
Library copy
For Magical Realism
February 10, 2019
This wonderfully titled book about a workaholic forced to take a break and ponder living made me laugh out loud many times while it reminded me of what’s really important. Simple drawings with multi-faceted meaning. Highly recommend!
January 2, 2020
A short, emotional book about taking time off to discover yourself. It's about figuring out what makes you happy and discovering that there is more to life than just your job. I loved it.
December 9, 2020
Excuse me while I go out and buy everyone I know a copy of this
March 5, 2021
3 stars. The graphics were simple and messy.
The story was ok.
The story was ok.
December 15, 2022
I 100% did not expect to be so moved by this fun little book.
March 19, 2020
imma admit i thought this was a children's book about death at first but it's about death and i was one of those kids obsessed with the grim reaper. this is actually a really cute book about the grim reaper having a year-long break from work because he never uses his sick or vacation days. it's about enjoying life and enjoying being alone. learning about yourself and sometimes, connecting with others. the main character just happens to be death.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 410 reviews