“Morbid and illuminating” (Entertainment Weekly)—a young mortician goes behind the scenes of her curious profession.Armed with a degree in medieval history and a flair for the macabre, Caitlin Doughty took a job at a crematory and turned morbid curiosity into her life’s work. She cared for bodies of every color, shape, and affliction, and became an intrepid explorer in the world of the dead. In … explorer in the world of the dead. In this best-selling memoir, brimming with gallows humor and vivid characters, she marvels at the gruesome history of undertaking and relates her unique coming-of-age story with bold curiosity and mordant wit. By turns hilarious, dark, and uplifting, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes reveals how the fear of dying warps our society and “will make you reconsider how our culture treats the dead” (San Francisco Chronicle).
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I loved this behind-the-scenes peek at the death industry. Caitlin Doughty made a subject that is hard for most people to comprehend into a story about caring and humanity. She gave us information in a witty way and we followed her career and life. Totally recommend, but not for the faint of heart!
We are all going to die, but we act as though if we don’t talk about it, it won’t happen to us or those we love. She’s real, not unkind, but hard to wrap your emotions around when the topic has been taboo for so long. We need more frank discussion to make this acceptable AND 5 starrable, in order to avoid the grand distaste which makes the topic so disturbing to embrace. Five stars are not her fault: they are mine.
Seems very disrespectful.
If you want to find out what happens to your body after you die, this is the book for you. Written with a light hand, the author still pulls no punches, telling it like it is at a crematory/funeral home.she also shares some thoughts about respectful handling of bodies and the immediate grief response by families. Sounds grim, but it’s easy reading, even entertaining. Try a sample. You’ll know within a couple of pages if it’s for you.
Boring
If you really want to know what happens to your body after death, this is a realistic read. The author recounts how we have white washed death & dying, sanitized it by people dying in institutions rather than at home and then in some instances, Memorial services in stead of services where the body is viewed. The impact of death is marginalized. Close family members grieve at a different level but for most of use, we quickly go about our lives and seldom think about our mortality until the next service.
Full of many details, some are kinda gross. But I was curious and written with compassion.
Interesting look at the “Death Industry” .
I believe this book will open peoples’ eyes to the reality of death & how we must face it head on. The author was very brave to write this book I found it very compelling.Gordon