Among the universal truths about mankind are the following: Everybody's gotta eat, and everybody's gotta die. Thus, it's also true that everybody's gotta have a last supper, one final bite to eat before he or she settles in for the eternal dirt nap.

In Exit, Eating, former New York Press food columnist Jennifer Waters brings her trademark acerbic wit to this very topic, as she details the last meals of world leaders, rock stars, cult members, literati, martyrs, and many more.

What, may you ask, was Ghandi's final nibble? This preacher of nonviolence feasted on goat's milk, cooked vegetables, oranges, and juice of aloe. Elvis Presley's? The King passed on his usual peanut butter and banana sandwich and opted instead for ice cream, cookies, and lots of pills. Dylan Thomas's last mouthful? Why, a personal best of eighteen whiskies. And 9/11 terrorist Muhammed Atta? Pizza Hut, naturally.

Filled with dozens of tasty, bite-sized morsels of information about mankind's moribund meals, Exit, Eating will appeal to foodies, history buffs, and trivia fans of every appetite.