Obituaries: the first verdict in history.

The article discusses the significance of obituaries of historical figures in the shaping of public opinion about history. The author states that obituaries stand apart from straight news stories and offer an assessment of the accomplishments of the departed. The author discusses his experiences producing televised obituaries on former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, former South African president Nelson Mandela, and former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The article also discusses the history of obituaries in the British press.