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Ianthe Brautigan
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You Can't Catch Death: A Daughter's Memoir Paperback – July 10, 2001

by Ianthe Brautigan (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 47 ratings
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In all of the obituaries and writing about Richard Brautigan that appeared after his suicide, none revealed to Ianthe Brautigan the father she knew. Through it took all of her courage, she delved into her memories, good and bad, to retrieve him, and began to write. You Can't Catch Death is a frank, courageous, heartbreaking reflection on both a remarkable man and the child he left behind.
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  1. Print length
    240 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    St. Martin's Griffin
  4. Publication date
    July 10, 2001
  5. Dimensions
    5.25 x 0.75 x 8.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0312264186
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0312264185
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"An earnest harrowing memoir of her father." --Chicago Tribune

"A sweetly beautiful, loving book. This is more than mere biography: It is a testament. it is an act of worship, of spiritual witness. It offers flashes of immense courage of character, and of great beauty." --The Baltimore Sun

"Ianthe Brautigan has written a lovely memoir of her father. Despite the melancholy and pain, it is an altogether admirable account of a daughter who has not only survived but prevailed." --Jim Harrison

"[Richard] Brautigan's spirit may be doing cartwheels. You Can't Catch Death recalls his gentleness and the darkness that led to his suicide." --People Magazine

"It's a celebration, Ianthe Brautigan. You send up sparks like the reflected roaring water did under the bridge to your father's cabin, illuminating the dark gaps in his wonderfully humorous, kind and argumentative, disciplined, creative life." --Dennis Hopper

"You Can't Catch Death not only avoids all the predictable pitfalls of blame and self-pity, it is written with a dignity. [It] fulfills Brautigan's original intent of creating a more complete picture of her famous father." --San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle

About the Author

Ianthe Brautigan was twenty-four when her father committed suicide. Seven years in the making, You Can't Catch Death is her first book. She lives in Northern California, with her husband and fifteen-year-old daughter.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Griffin; First Edition (July 10, 2001)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0312264186
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0312264185
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.75 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 47 ratings

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Ianthe Brautigan

Ianthe Brautigan

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
47 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Charlie
5.0 out of 5 stars Good Book
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2024
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Reliable seller.
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Lee J
5.0 out of 5 stars written from the heart
Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2017
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I have read a great deal of Richard Brautigan's work and thought I would hear what his daughter had to say about him. I loved her voice as much or maybe more than Richard's. I fell in love with her vulnerability and I realized a great deal about Richard, that came through in his writing, but I couldn't put my finger on. I recommend this book to anyone who has suffered a traumatic death or simply anyone who wants to experience the heart and soul of another human being who writes beautifully.
6 people found this helpful
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ARK
5.0 out of 5 stars Heart-felt, brave and well written, as one touched ...
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2014
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Heart-felt, brave and well written, as one touched by Richard Brautigan's work and the brother of a a father of an only daughter who took his own life I found Ianthe Brautigan's memoir especially meaningful. Many thanks to the author for her diligent, insight-filled and loving account. May my own teenage daughter come to know her own involved yet imperfect single-dad so… even after the inevitable takes me.
3 people found this helpful
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ozman
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful memories about Richard.
Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2014
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I'm not finished with it yet, but so far you learn so much About Richard and his lifestyle that you would never know. Ianthe has such good memories about her father, that you smile all the way through. Wonderful writing.
One person found this helpful
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Michael
5.0 out of 5 stars Fast delivery
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2018
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Accurate description
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Gary N.
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2016
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great book about my favorite writer...
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martin a. wilke
3.0 out of 5 stars You’ll get more out of the book than out of the MP3.
Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2020
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A good book about a most interesting man from a unique perspective, however, they should have hired a pro to record the book. Oftentimes the author is not the person to read what they’ve written. Syllables were dropped from ends of words and it made it work to listen. Worrying became whirring. Peace sign became peesign. Some were indecipherable. Plus the author spoke too quickly. All things considered, I’d choose the book over the mp3.
2 people found this helpful
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Quinton Blue
5.0 out of 5 stars A Daughter And Her Father
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2015
I read this book because of curiosity about Richard Brautigan, but the book is much more than that. "You Can't Catch Death: A Daughter's Memoir" is about the unconventional and poignant relationship between a daughter and her alcoholic novelist-poet father. If there is a third character in this, it's the booze that claims a negative presence and eventually plays a key role in RB's suicide. Ianthe Brautigan is a very good writer in her own space, and I wish she had more books out there. "A Daughter's Memoir" reflects both the love between a daughter and father and a sense of abandonment. This book would make an interesting movie in the hands of the right screenwriter. Note to Ianthe: Please write more.
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Top reviews from other countries

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namelesshere
5.0 out of 5 stars You Can't Catch Death - Ianthe Brautigan
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 12, 2020
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A wonderful, poignant memoir predominantly about a daughter's coming to terms, of a kind, with her father's suicide. Secondarily it's a insight into the mental unwellness that led to suicide, and the mind of a wonderful, fresh invigorating writer. It's beautifully written and very wise. Heartily recommended.
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kdk
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on June 4, 2016
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excellent read to help understand yourself and others experiencing grief
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megalurch
5.0 out of 5 stars Ein Muss für Fans
Reviewed in Germany on February 20, 2011
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Brautigans Tochter erzählt von ihrem Leben mit dem Autor und von ihrer Suche nach der unbekannten Großmutter. Man kommt RB sehr nahe, und seiner Tochter ist es darüber hinaus gelungen, ein wenig in seine Fußstapfen zu treten. Schönes, aufschlussreiches Buch, das den Romanen Brautigans nichts von ihrer Magie nimmt.
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freddy fabrics
5.0 out of 5 stars Second hand
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 17, 2020
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Great condition and as described
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Sarah
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful memoir
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 1, 2020
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Excellent writing, very moving.
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