Not a dream today--a book. "They Went Thataway" by Malcolm Forbes. 175 capsule biographies of people who died strangely.

After about 100 I notice I'm getting morbid. But death is like potato chips, I guess--you can't eat just one. Though I don't really care as much about their strange deaths as their strange lives.

I'm struck how many famous achievers had quite short successful periods after decades of obscurity, or died as failures and became revered posthumously, or trailed off from success into mediocrity and poverty, or... no pattern at all. Greatness seems... random! After reading them all, I find the very idea of a "successful life strategy" laughable. Well, I do see a few helpful guidelines--but they're all negative.

THE TEN RULES OF LIFE If you rule something big, don't retire. If you steal, don't rob Americans. Americans have guns. Don't conquer the known world and then take up drinking. If you're creative, act out--we already think you're crazy, so why not? Don't fight. Run. Stay out of Ancient Rome. When you lose a loved one, sigh and find another. Don't fly small planes in a storm. Discounting your critics isn't enough; don't even listen. Never let a guy stick leeches on your face.

Follow this hard-won wisdom from the past: whatever these famous people did... don't. Just don't.

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