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Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

And Other Lessons from the Crematorium
4.22 goodreads logo

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( 105,730 ratings, 13,088 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty is a fascinating memoir that provides an insightful glimpse into the world of mortuary science. The author shares her experiences working in a crematorium, exploring cultural taboos surrounding death, and advocating for a more open dialogue about mortality. With a blend of humour and tenderness, Doughty offers a thought-provoking perspective on life, death, and the rituals that connect us to both.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by the realities of working in a crematorium, have an interest in the cultural perceptions of death, or appreciate memoirs with a touch of humour and honesty. Caitlin Doughty offers a candid and insightful look into her experiences and challenges social taboos around mortality with wit and warmth.

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The critically acclaimed account of Caitlin Doughty's first year working on the funerary frontlines.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Unforgettable . . . a hilarious, poignant and impassioned plea to revolutionise our attitudes to death Gavin Francis, Guardian

From her first day at Westwind Cremation & Burial, twenty-three-year-old Caitlin Doughty threw herself into her curious new profession. Coming face-to-face with the very thing we go to great lengths to avoid thinking about, she started to wonder about the lives of those she cremated and the mourning families they left behind, and found herself confounded by people's erratic reactions to death.

Exploring our death ritualsβ€”and those of other culturesβ€”she pleads the case for healthier attitudes around death and dying.

Full of bizarre encounters, gallows humour and vivid characters (both living and very dead), this illuminating account makes this otherwise terrifying subject inviting and fascinating.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Caitlin Doughty's memoir offers a candid and humorous exploration of the death industry, challenging societal taboos around mortality. Critics praise the book's blend of humour, insight, and thoughtfulness as it delves into the personal and professional life of a mortician. The writing is described as refreshingly honest and engaging, often using Doughty's experiences to advocate for a more personal and informed approach to death and funeral practices.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781782111054

Publisher: Canongate Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 03 March 2016

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Canongate Books

Edition: Main

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 17.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 184g

Pages: 272

About the Author

Caitlin Doughty was born and raised in Hawaii before gaining a degree in Medieval History from the University of Chicago. She currently lives in Los Angeles where she owns an alternative funeral home, Undertaking LA. She is the creator of the 'Ask a Mortician' web series, the founder of the death acceptance collective The Order of the Good Dead and co-founder of Death Salon.

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  • From Here to Eternity
    As a practising mortician, Caitlin Doughty has long been fascinated by our pervasive terror of dead bodies. In From Here to Eternity, she sets out in search of cultures unburdened by such fears. With curiosity and morbid humour, Doughty introduces us to inspiring death-care innovators and participates in powerful death practices almost entirely unknown in the West. She explores new...
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    Can we give Grandma a Viking funeral? Why don't animals dig up all the graves? Will my hair keep growing in my coffin after I'm buried? Every day, funeral director Caitlin Doughty receives dozens of questions about death. Here she offers her factual, hilarious and candid answers to thirty-five of the most interesting, sharing the lore and science of what...
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