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- As well as four non-fiction books, Kathy has also penned an as-yet-unpublished sci-fi novel about an alien discotheque at Area 51 and a pilot script about American grad students abroad.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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Names go in and out of fashion. So what did the flappers, bootleggers, and Bright Young Things of 1922 name their kids? Read on to find out.
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Snoop Dogg is selective in what art he gets inked on his skin. Here's what Snoop Dogg's tattoos mean, and other facts about the rapper's connection to body art.
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Many rock stars who went through something horrible will eventually tell the world about what happened. Other times, they take the tragic secret to the grave.
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For anyone who loves classic country, true crime, or just a good brainteaser, these are the classic country mysteries that remain unsolved to this day.
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Once a celeb hits their 30s, we know there'll be more movies and music to enjoy. But then that future is gone. Here are famous celebrities who died in their 30s
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The royal family of 100 years ago was full of scandals, tragic deaths, and a kleptomaniac. This is what the British royal family looked like 100 years ago.
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Whether it's a terrible accident or a misunderstanding or done with malice, there are plenty of weird things that happened to royals' bodies after they died.
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For some presidents, when they die, the excitement is only beginning. Here are the weirdest things that happened to presidents' bodies after they died.
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Even the rich, famous, and/or powerful can find themselves meeting their maker at a rather inconvenient time. Here are famous people who died on Christmas Day.
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But the 1800s was a time of immense progress, especially in the area of transportation. Here’s what it was really like to travel across the U.S. in the 1800s.
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They might not be household names, but these notable people shared Hitler's exact birthday, down to the year, and how their lives compared with his.
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Some owners sold their items and came away rich, others chose to keep their heirlooms in the family. These are the most expensive finds on "Antiques Roadshow."
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Some child stars never made it to their 20s, but they made a meaningful mark in Hollywood before they passed away. Here are celebrities who died in their teens.
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Ranging from the minor to the embarrassing to the quality-of-life-altering, here are injuries that happened on the Star Trek sets.
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From a court case over the will to Diana's wishes not being followed to the executor was removed from his job, here's what was in Princess Diana's will.
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Karl Marx exists as more a symbol than a person, but he was a real, flawed and fascinating human. This is the untold truth of Karl Marx.
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When a country legend dies, there's the small matter of the funeral and burial. This is where these legendary country stars are buried.
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If you're sad about the loss of some of your '80s favs, you can at least go visit their final resting places. This is where these famous '80s stars are buried.
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Athletes are a suspicious group; when they start talking about how they're going to die, it's worth listening. Here are athletes who predicted their own deaths.
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When someone is a big celebrity, their funeral might make headlines, but what about their final resting place? This is where these famous '60s stars are buried.
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Whether you're just a curious fan or planning a road trip, let's look at the celebrated lives, final sendoffs, and eternal resting places of these '70s stars.
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Some think that Adam and Eve had more children than Cain and Abel, and not all of them were sons. This is the untold truth of Adam and Eve's daughters.
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Why wouldn't want to be a royal? These continual and overwhelming tragedies might make you think again. These are the most famous curses in royal history
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While celebs might have all the money in the world, even they can't protect their pets from every danger. These are the saddest celebrity pet deaths.
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Sometimes at the Olympics, hearts are broken and expectations dashed. These are the most heart-breaking Team U.S.A. moments in Olympic history.
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One of the reasons so few people have heard of La Mancha Negra is there is surprisingly little information out there about it in English-language sources.
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Hurricanes are only getting worse, which might be why some have suggested using nuclear weapons on them. Here's what would happen if you nuked a hurricane.