Love, Dishonor, Marry, Die, Cherish, Perish

Love, Dishonor, Marry, Die, Cherish, Perish is a novel written entirely in rhyming verse, published posthumously after David Rakoff's death in 2012. The story spans most of the 20th century, following interconnected characters across America from Chicago to New York to San Francisco. The narrative moves through time and locations, linking different people's lives through chance encounters and family ties. Characters include a young girl in the Chicago meatpacking district, an ambitious secretary, a dissatisfied housewife, and a San Francisco artist during the AIDS crisis. The novel's form merges traditional poetry with contemporary storytelling, using anapestic tetrameter throughout its approximately 100 pages. Rakoff integrates cultural touchstones and historical events while maintaining his signature wit through the strict poetic structure. The work examines how human connections persist across decades and distances, while exploring themes of art, sexuality, family obligations, and the impact of both cruelty and kindness across generations.

Readers commend Rakoff's creative ambition in writing his final book entirely in rhyming verse, though many found the format challenging to follow. The poetic structure resonated with some readers who felt it enhanced the interconnected character stories, while others saw it as distracting. Likes: - Emotional impact of certain character moments - Dark humor and wit throughout - Illustrations by Seth - Successfully connects multiple narratives across decades Dislikes: - Verse format can feel forced and interrupts flow - Character development limited by constraints of poetry - Some segments work better than others - Several readers struggled to finish Ratings: Goodreads: 3.6/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4/5 (100+ ratings) Multiple reviewers noted they appreciated the book more on second reading. One Amazon reviewer wrote: "The rhyming takes getting used to but becomes seamless once you settle in." Several Goodreads reviews praised it as an "ambitious final work" while acknowledging it's "not for everyone."

Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov A novel in verse that weaves multiple narratives through poetry and prose while exploring themes of love, loss, and identity across interconnected lives.

Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow This novel-in-verse tells the story of werewolves in Los Angeles through interconnected characters and storylines that span different social classes and time periods.

The Golden Gate by Vikram Seth A narrative told entirely in sonnets chronicles the lives and relationships of young professionals in 1980s San Francisco.

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell Six nested stories connect across time periods and continents to reveal patterns in human nature and the consequences of individual actions through generations.

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan Multiple characters' lives intersect across decades in the music industry through linked stories that experiment with form and structure.

🎨 The entire novel is written in anapestic tetrameter, the same poetic meter used in "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" 📚 This was David Rakoff's final work, published posthumously in 2013, just months after he died of cancer at age 47 ✍️ The book's striking cover art and interior illustrations were created by celebrated cartoonist Seth, known for his work in The New Yorker 🎭 Despite being terminally ill while recording the audiobook, Rakoff completed the narration just days before his death, leaving behind a powerful final performance 🔄 The story spans nearly a century of American life (1920s-2000s), connecting seemingly unrelated characters through chance encounters and overlapping circumstances