Kathy Benjamin
School
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
University Of Kent At Canterbury
Expertise
The British Royal Family, The History Of Funerals, Agatha Christie's Poirot Stories
- Kathy's articles have been discussed on "The View" and "Chelsea Lately."
- As well as four non-fiction books, Kathy has also penned an as-yet-unpublished sci-fi novel about an alien discotheque at Area 51 and a pilot script about American grad students abroad.
- While in England for graduate school, Kathy attended classes every week in Canterbury Cathedral, which was just as amazing as it sounds.
Experience
A full-time professional writer since 2009, Kathy's work can be found on many websites including Cracked.com and Mental Floss. She joined Grunge as a writer in 2017 and began editing for Static Media in 2019. She is the author of four non-fiction books about death: "Funerals to Die For: The Craziest, Creepiest, and Most Bizarre Funeral Traditions and Practices Ever" (Adams Media, 2013), "It's Your Funeral! Plan the Celebration of a Lifetime — Before It's Too Late" (Quirk Books, 2021), "Texas Mass Graves: Burial Grounds of Atrocity, Massacre and Battle" (The History Press, 2022), and a forthcoming book with The History Press on women undertakers of Texas from 1880-1930.
Education
Kathy has a B.A. in History from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and a Postgraduate Diploma in Medieval and Tudor Studies from the University of Kent at Canterbury.
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Stories By Kathy Benjamin
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After the U.S. entered WWI, German citizens and civilians in the states, along with soldiers, were detained in POW camps in Georgia and Utah.
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WWI was a catastrophe on all fronts, not least of which included the actions of the military men in charge, whose screwups led to the death of thousands.
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Industrial accidents are sadly commonplace, but few are as horrific as the one that killed five men on the Byford Dolphin oil rig in 1983. Here's what happened.
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The collapse of the Knickerbocker Theatre roof in 1922 is one of the deadliest disasters in U.S. history. Over 90 people were killed.
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Despite enjoying the trappings of great wealth and power, British royal family members throughout history have faced a disease that respects no one: cancer.
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Princess Di became one of the most famous women in the world, and her sisters played an important part in her life, before and after her death.
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It seems that for every fairytale romance that played out in classic movies, there was a real-life Old Hollywood relationship that stirred controversy.
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John Lennon's murder has been analyzed for years, but in the 2023 Apple TV+ docuseries "John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial," fans learned his last words.
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Maritime disasters are always a tragedy, made worse by the lives lost. As ships radioed for help, captured were final messages of crew and passengers.
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Being born in the White House has been a rare occasion throughout American history. Here are all the members of this exclusive club, and how they fared.
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When most people have long retired, a select few still find the energy to serve in the U.S. Senate. Here are the U.S. Senators who kept going into their 90s.
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The act of vandalizing places that are deeply meaningful to the human experience is sadly commonplace. Here are some of the most glaring examples.
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Sinéad O'Connor claimed she and Peter Gabriel didn't just collaborate on music. Here's the story of Sinéad O'Connor's relationship with singer Peter Gabriel.
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No matter how much money you accumulate in life, one day, you will die just like everyone else. Here are the few billionaires who passed away in 2023.
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It's always tragic when someone dies by drowning. Throw a celebrity victim into the mix and you have a shocking headline that will send fans reeling.
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The British monarchy makes the loss of an heir not just emotionally difficult, but politically as well. Here are British kings and queens who lost children.
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Many saints were gifted with the gift of premonition and were able to fortell future events, including their own deaths.
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Money makes people do crazy things, and a sudden windfall like a lottery win means that friends, family members, and even spouses can end up becoming murderers.
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Lizzie Borden's acquittal has become the stuff of legend, but she's not the only famous historical figure who was accused -- and then acquitted -- of murder.
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While there are plenty of conspiracy theories on the deaths of these actors, their families are also questioning the nature of how they died.
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Many have managed to escape their old life after a pretend death, but not all succeed. Here are some people who actually got caught after faking their deaths.
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Whether looking back on their lives or forward to a future that wouldn't be, here are the final interviews of some of country music's biggest stars.
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Many men that had relationships with Marilyn Monroe tended to speak about her at length. Here's what Monroe's exes said about her after her death.
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Some royals have gone out with last words that are ironic, tragic, or otherwise notable. Here are a few of history's most intriguing royal outro lines.
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Any final last words? Let these examples be either cautionary tales or inspiration. These are the last words these politicians said before death.
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Even when a candidate is behind bars, plenty of people will still vote for them. Here are times in history when candidates ran for office from prison.
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While many politicians are so powerful they never have to answer for their crimes, others do face consequences. Here are the world leaders who've been arrested.