All the Living and the Dead: From Embalmers to Executioners, an Exploration of the People Who Have Made Death Their Life's Work | 
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
As a former ER nurse who also worked on an ambulance, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, I am not a stranger to death and it‘s many forms. I found this book very interesting and found it eye-opening as well in terms of the many fields and workers in the death industry. I think this is a great read, especially for those that aren‘t frontline workers or already working with the dead.
pickA fascinating look into the lives and careers of those that deal with death and dead bodies. It makes a great companion to Mary Roach‘s Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers.
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pick#NonfictionNovember
Growing up, my parents worked in a funeral home, so I had a different view of death than others around me at the time. Reading about other jobs that deal with death on a daily basis was fascinating, and I thought the author did a great job choosing a varied group of people and jobs to explore in this book.
This book is difficult at times to read. Even the author has trouble at one point, and I appreciated her honesty.
Absolutely beautiful book about those that care for us after we‘re gone. Highly recommend! #scarathlonphotochallenge #skeleton #bones #blackcatcrew
LibrarianRyan, TheBookDream, hes7, TEArificbooks, TheQuietQuill, BookwormAHN, 5feet.of.fury, Read-y_Picker, Yuki_Onna
You aren‘t born knowing you will die.
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pickI really enjoyed this book. Of course it reminded me of Mary Roach‘s Stiff, but it was quieter and more genuine. The author meets people of various professions related to death. I can‘t say I learned a ton, but the profiles and time the author spent interviewing and in some cases observing the job duties being performed captivated me.
#bookspinbingo
pickCampbell grew up hearing about death, as her dad helped write and illustrate a book about Jack the Ripper. She was always curious about the dead, and in this book she talks to people who have made their livings working with the deceased.
She doesn‘t hold back any gruesome details or about her emotional reactions. If you‘re as curious as she was on this topic, I highly recommend this book!
pickAn oftentimes graphic, unflinching look at the people who make death their jobs. Campbell‘s writing is so eloquent that you might forget this is a nonfiction book. I would have liked a bit more historical context on these occupations, but ultimately that isn‘t Campbell‘s goal. It‘s more a meditation on our reaction to death, how we as people and a culture often pretend it‘s not a part of our reality. But it is, and the End is quite fascinating.
pickAn honest look at the people that work in the death industry, Campbell shines a light on those with us beyond our final moments, and offers an opportunity for introspection around a topic deeply uncomfortable for most. She writes with a reverence for the dead echoed by the care taken in our morgues, cemeteries, hospital wards, and crematoriums, and I find myself less scared of the end knowing who is shepherding me to my final resting place. 5⭐️
pickSuper interesting, slightly disturbing, and very well written. Everything I look for. 5/5 ⭐️
so-soI suggest you dont read if you just experienced a death in your family. For some reason I thought this might be helpful to me as my first book of 2023. It was interesting, but so difficult for me to get through, took much longer than I usually take.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I will never cease to be amazed and disgusted by the death industry. This is a thorough exploration of the the workers behind the scenes: morticians, crime scene cleaners, executioners, and more. Equal parts fascinating and disheartening. Certainly not for the squeamish. Pairs well with any Caitlin Doughty book; of which I highly recommend all. She‘s fantastic!
PS. Please, for the love of Pete, do not embalm me.
pickThis is a very good book. It‘s all about the different professions that deal with death and dying. I know that sounds morbid, but nothing here is offensive. As I was reading it, so many of the things she wrote jogged my memory. Very well written and very well researched. Five stars.
pickThought this book was absolutely fascinating! Maybe not everyone's cup of tea but it had a huge impact on me (as good books should!). ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #arc
Full review at: https://erinkonrad.com/2022/08/23/all-the-living-and-the-dead-book-review/
pickHayley goes on a journey among the caretakers of the dead to learn what happens to our physical selves once the heart has stopped. To this end she interviews embalmers, a former executioner, mass fatality investigators, and so many more. This book opened my eyes to the many people our lives can intersect with after death along with the importance of these individuals in guiding both the living and the dead. Please read the content warnings.
pickI‘ve loved Caitlin Doughty‘s books about the funeral industry and death customs around the world, but Campbell‘s look into what she calls “the death industry” is much darker. She speaks to a death penalty executioner, a Weegee-like crime scene photographer, and a person who cleans up death locations. She also talks to anatomists and funeral directors. While I enjoyed this, I prefer Doughty‘s books.
