   "How They Croaked," by Georgia Bragg, is a new book we really
needed. Ms. Bragg has gathered the gory stories behind the last
days of 19 famous figures - all in one, cleverly illustrated
book.  I just happened to open the book at Henry VIII, the
hugely fat and much-married monarch who gave us the first Queen
Elizabeth. My reaction on first reading it -and on re-reading it
- was: Gross! And I think perhaps thats the point of this
delightful and disgusting sliver of history.  Ms. Bragg joins us
from NPR West in Culver City, California. Welcome to the
program.  Ms. GEORGIA BRAGG (Author, "How They Croaked: The
Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous"): Thank you for having me.
WERTHEIMER: Now, you open the book with a warning. You want to
issue that warning now?  Ms. BRAGG: If you don't have the guts
for gore, do not read this book.  WERTHEIMER: So let's go back
to Henry VIII. He died in January of 1547, of massive infections
in his gouty legs and pulmonary embolism - thats a blood clot in
the lungs, I believe.  Ms