A gruesomely hilarious and fascinating pop-history account of methods of execution from around the world and through the ages. In this wickedly humorous book, Geoffrey Abbott describes the effectiveness of instruments of torture and reveals the macabre origins of familiar phrases such as “gone west” or “drawn a blank.” Covering everything from the preparation of the victim to the disposal of the body, What a Way to Go is everything you ever wanted to know about the ultimate penalty---and a lot you never thought to ask.