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In friendly, conversational prose, the funeral and death industries' ins and outs reveal themselves in one man's insightful, heartfelt narrative. From the humorous to the taboo, this book details the trials and tribulations of those who work in one of America's most misunderstood professions. As readers travel through everything from casket supply logistics to grief counseling, they encounter a man who placed people, their deceased loved ones, and family needs above profit and greed. Moreover, the book asks readers to consider their mortality in the physical and spiritual context and not live in denial of the biological processes that neither time nor medicine can delay.
As more and more Americans reconsider what it means to die, texts like this book become an important part of the death-planning process as well as the death-positive movements currently reshaping society's conversations about death. In the family-first spirit of funeral industry writers like Caitlin Doughty, this book guides readers through not only coping with their own loved ones' deaths but also the importance of proper planning. It also enlightens readers on how America's funeral industry standard, with its one-size-fits-all approach to everything from casket size to ceremony expectations, often excludes other cultures and their death practices. It poses how the industry might become more inclusive. Despite the morbid stereotypes readers might apply to a text about the funeral industry, at its core, this book is a celebration of life and a life well-lived, particularly in the service to others during their time of greatest need.