A good, albeit morbid memoir of Doughy's early life in the mortuary business. Its a good mix of her experiences intercut with the history of the business. If you've every seen the Ask a Mortician channel on Youtube, you've seen the author. A good read if you're curious about the subject ( )

The author does a great job reconstructing the world around her job as a cremation operator (something like that). And through this lens examines the commercial filters on the mainstream death industry.

Philosophical in a simple way. ( )

As a lover of Mary Roach’s books, I double-loved this book, which is written by an industry worker, not just an author doing research. An ultimately life-affirming piece of work. ( )

I've been familiar with Caitlin's work for years, first through her YouTube videos and more recently through her books. I read (and loved) FROM HERE TO ETERNITY and WILL MY CAT EAT MY EYEBALLS? but I hadn't gotten around to her debut--until now. I'm so glad I finally read this. Her openness in sharing her coming-of-age journey in such an unconventional setting is both courageous and inspiring.

Caitlin peels back the curtain on the death industry, revealing its often gritty, sometimes humorous, and always very human aspects. The dissection of societal attitudes towards death, coupled with personal anecdotes, made me reflect on my own perceptions and the collective discomfort our society harbors towards death and dying.

The book isn't just about Caitlin's experiences; it's a mirror reflecting our societal attitudes laced with humor and poignant observations. Caitlin’s passion for demystifying what happens to our physical bodies post-mortem is palpable throughout the book. Her fearless confrontation of a topic many shy away from is both admirable and thought-provoking.

Moreover, Caitlin's writing style is wonderful! The book is a harmonious blend of memoir, exposé of the funeral industry, and a manifesto advocating for an honest interaction with death. The well-researched content, coupled with humorous anecdotes, made the narrative lively and enriching.

This isn’t just another book; it’s an invitation to a conversation long overdue. ( )

I love Caitlin Doughty, she’s funny and realistic and has the lost interesting past. I’ve loved watching her on YouTube and this didn’t fail.
Her experience in life was so interesting and real to me, I felt like this just strengthened my connection to her.
Word to the wise though: DO NOT EAT while reading/ listening to this, you never know when she’s going to get gross. ( )

I luv deth? ( )

This book is like a lighter version of Mary Roach's "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers". It still has science, but that is toned down while the personal experiences of the author are turned up. Great book, highly recommend. ( )

"Death might appear to destroy the meaning in our lives, but in fact, it is the very source of our creativity. As Kafka said, 'The meaning of life is that it ends.' Death is the engine that keeps us running, giving us the motivation to achieve, learn, love, and create. Philosophers have proclaimed this for thousands of years just as vehemently as we insist upon ignoring it generation after generation."
That is just a wee snippet of the greatness contained in this thoughtful, entertaining, and very eye-opening book. My own morbid fascination with death is what made me dive into this with gusto. Caitlin Doughty brilliantly handled all the details with just the right balance of technical detail and grim humor. So much of what she says in this book hit home with me. Here is my favorite line of the book: "The only thing that's certain is that nothing ever is." Truth. ( )

This review originally appeared on my blog at www.gimmethatbook.com.

Many thanks to the author, Caitlin Doughty, for gifting me this book in exchange for this honest review.

When I first learned this was published I knew I had to read it. As an almost-mortician (I was accepted into American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service many years ago but never went) I really wanted to hear what Ms Doughty was going to say. Her writing is wry and emotional, and it’s easy for the reader to understand her quest to find out why death means so much to her.

The story starts out as she finds a job at a crematorium, then goes off to mortuary school in hopes of learning all she can about the funeral industry. Her motives are such that she wants to oppose the general business/embalming aspect of funerals and death; she believes in a “green” disposal, which may mean anything from cremation to being buried in the earth in a biodegradable container. Doughty feels that our attitude towards death is that of an ostrich in the sand; we prefer not to acknowledge it or prepare for it. This, she feels, is wrong. If you are able to come to terms with your eventual passing you will not have any fear, and it’s a healthier way of living.

The author illustrates this way of thinking in each of her anecdotes. Beware–this book is not for the faint of heart, as there is a good deal of description of dead bodies, what happens when you get cremated, and some near death experiences of Doughty’s. However, that does not overshadow the main thrust of the story; we can feel Doughty’s mistrust and discomfort at the funeral industry, and are able to learn why she thinks that way.

An incident that happened at a shopping mall when the author was younger sets the background for so much discussion of mortality: she watched and heard a young girl fall to her death from the second floor of a mall, and that stayed with her for many years. She developed tics and habits, to “ward off” death coming for her, and then realized that she could come to terms with it, as we all should. She feels that Americans especially are in denial about death, whereas in other parts of the world people are more comfortable; she illustrates this by including snippets of information on death and funerary customs around the globe, which I found interesting and enlightening.

Thinking about the end of your own life may seem depressing to you, but it is important that you get your affairs in order and not be afraid. It’s a lot easier said than done, but Doughty pleads her case well. She exudes a feeling of caring and encouragement, and hammers the point home that this is the one thing that brings us all together, no matter what race, color. creed or species you are.

I enjoyed the mix of humor and pathos in her writing, and would love to see something else in this vein. Doughty can be found at the Order of the Good Death online, and also has her own YouTube channel, known as “Ask A Mortician”. She is exactly what the funeral industry needs: an honest voice that demonstrates caring and empathy. I’d be honored to let Ms. Doughty handle my end of life care–would you? Read this book and let me know what you think. You can pick up your own copy here.


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Wow, this is a great read. I remember hearing Caitlin Doughty on the radio a while back, probably years ago now, and it seemed like what she was doing -- giving people new ways to think about death, and particularly what happens to your body after you die -- was totally unique and new. After reading her book, I suppose she's not alone in her mission to educate and enlighten people about their post-mortem options, but she's got a great, "for the people" take on it. This is super well-written, totally engaging, and it made me think. I'm pretty sure I've always leaned toward cremation -- at least, I never thought I would be a person who would get myself embalmed and pay big bucks for a cemetery plot and all that stuff. Much as I enjoy visiting my own relatives in the cemetery, and respect that as a place of remembrance, it's never where I saw myself (or at least, my body) spending eternity. This book totally made me think about the realities of each option, while also being totally entertaining. The very last few pages packed the biggest punch for me, but do yourself a favour and read all of them. You won't regret it! ( )

This is a well-written book about death in various cultures, the meaning of death, and the U.S. death industry. ( )

This is an odd quirky book, sometimes funny, sometimes gross, sometimes informative. She explains how bodies are prepared and tells of some funny incidents while working at the funeral home. You will find she is a believer in the old-fashioned way of the family preparing the body and keeping the person in the home until its final resting place. If you enjoy the book she is also on YouTube. Some of her offerings at YouTube are: The Exhumations of Jesse James, The Real Moby Dick Was So Much Worse, and Medieval Zombies. ( )

Death is permeant, scary and something better left unspoken of right? Well, no.
Death should be talked about. It should be celebrated, and normalized.

Caitlin's experience with death, from being deathly afraid of it, to advocating for a more open discussion of it is fascinating. All of these stories gave a glimpse into the death industry and give the reader a place to start their own research into what they want when they die.

I highly recommend this book, and her YouTube channel.

*Unlike [b:Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? And other Questions about Dead Bodies|52672113|Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? And other Questions about Dead Bodies|Caitlin Doughty|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1593186716l/52672113._SY75_.jpg|68120089], this book is a bit more . . . to the point . . . she discusses infant death, and death in general in a much more frank setting. If you might be triggered by these topics check out the Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? instead. ( )

Stunning!

I tried to read this mostly over my dinner breaks at work. That was tricky, as I was alternating between revolting details and truly thought-provoking details. However, I never reached a place where I’d give up and put it down for good. In fact, I’ve asked my coworker in charge of the book club to add it to our list! ( )

I was expecting another "Quackery" type book that would just be a retelling of gross, but humorous anecdotes about the funeral industry. It turned out to be much more a personal story of the author's experience with death and the business of death. Even though she does work in that industry, she relates how it helped her understand and appreciate life and death and come to terms with death. I really liked the personal side of this story and it made it much more relatable. Of course, there are funny and gross stories to entertain you but I was pleasantly surprised to find that the book was more than that. A really interesting and still fun read. ( )

intriguing, honest, open book about dead bodies written with integrity ( )

I'm a big fan of Caitlin Doughty--have watched her YouTube channel for some time. The 90s was my decade of death-- seemed like I lost a lot of people in a steady flow. The only one at hand for the passing of my mom, I felt wildly inadequate to help her go. Did the best I could. But began to read up on the dying process to help others with parents who were dying. Became rather fascinated by the Hospice workers and death doulas who help family members through this time. Even had a monk teacher tell a wonderfully touching story about his father's last day--pizza party, laughing, joking. After he passed, the family did not rush to call the nurses. They prayed and chanted and sat with him. A beautiful, sacred death.
In this book, Doughty talks about what led her into the business of death, some back story on death rituals around the world and how the process of death has moved from the home to the funeral parlor. For many, this is a terrifying subject that they don't want to think about much less discuss. But you fear most what you don't understand, right?
Much to think about with this book.
It is not for the timid--very detailed descriptions. ( )

Review pending, but really great book giving us a look at our current rituals and practices around death and a vision for an alternative. Fascinating. ( )

Found this book to be morbidly fascinating and it really opened up my eyes to the death industry and made me think about what I want to happen to me when I die. Unusual but great read! ( )

This book was -wonderful-. I was engrossed from the first page to the last. I found out about Doughty through her Youtube channel, to which I subscribed thirty seconds into watching the first video I did. I can't remember what it was now. It was a few years ago, 2015 or so. The way she described her background and upbringing were so neat. I paid careful attention to every description she provided of how the funeral homes she worked in looked and day-to-day things, how she got there, what she studied--I wanted to work in a funeral home, and imagined myself doing these tasks. It seems like a very...body-oriented...line of work. "Physical" line of work doesn't really describe it, and anyway, that pun was unintentional. Onward. It's a line of work I'd probably not be able to perform as quickly as someone able-bodied. I have balance issues and can't quite move as fast as someone might need to, as well as being physically small. So, I would likely be out of the running. And the way fluids are described--I would be showering every five minutes. I winced at her descriptions, but was so, so glad she put all of that in there. As I kept reading, the idea became less novel, but more real--like it was a goal I could maybe attain, maybe do someday. I went back and forth on ideas of working in the funeral industry a lot while reading this book.
I really like how Doughty kept folding in little details about her life, personality, goals, and herself into such a riveting account of working in a job not many might pursue. Just really well-done. I put the book down, wrote out a will for myself, and checked to see if she had written anything else at the time, which she had not. I was so disappointed. But now as I write this review, she has an active Youtube channel (the Year of Content was awesome) and has just come out with another book. I'm so excited for her, and so excited to learn more. ( )

This book was interesting but I think I was expecting more like Stiff by Mary Roach. ( )

As I contemplate my own mortality, it's books like this one that really help. Doughty's thoughts on the contemporary divide between the living and the dead resonate with me, and it's comforting to see behind the scenes of the American Funerary establishment. I feel more informed and more able to make a decision about my own remains. I also really enjoyed the book -- both for Doughty's irreverent but caring style and by her raw honesty about her own story. ( )

Maybe Caitlin can quit her macabre day job of working in a crematory because she has a flair for writing. Mixing philosophy, history, and her crematory job adventures, Caitlin beckons us on an adventure on the other side of life.

Some of this book gets really detailed, bordering on disgusting. Is this because she's just that good of a writer or that I just have that much of an aversion to death? It will take someone with a strange streak in their personality to enjoy this book. Or more likely, it'll take someone who is willing to admit that we all have a curiosity/fear of the after life.

We will all meet meet death eventually. Some of us refused to admit or think about it. Caitlin is delightfully not one of those people. ( )

I won't say this is one of my all-time greats, but it _is_ a terrific book! A young lady gets a job in a California crematory...as the crematory operator. You can just imagine that there'll be some great stories. And there are. But Doughty really gives so much more in terms of how 21st century Americans view and approach death, and contrasts that with other cultures and past practices. I really recommend that everyone read this or something similar ([b:Curtains: Adventures of an Undertaker-in-Training|7197286|Curtains Adventures of an Undertaker-in-Training|Tom Jokinen|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328847391s/7197286.jpg|7835108] is another book along the same lines) and begin forming your thoughts about how you want your death to be handled. I know that I'll be doing that. If learning death "lessons" isn't your thing, you can still skim through and enjoy Doughty's journey as a good story. ( )

Fascinated with death since she was a child, at 23-years old, after completing her medieval history degree, the author worked at a crematorium where she learned a lot and it prompted her to go to mortuary school, though she hated embalming with a passion! But she wanted to learn what the majority in the industry were taught. In addition to stories she tells of her coworkers, and incidents and stories with the dead bodies she worked with, she looks at the history of death rituals in various places and times.

Loved some of the quirky people she worked with! I enjoyed reading about the different death/dying rituals through time and place. She does throw some humour in there – I suppose to work in the industry one must possess some humour to lighten things up. Like her, I have been wanting to have a green burial for a long time now. It was just about a week ago that a new cemetery opened in my city with a green burial option, so I’m happy about that. ( )