Smoke Gets In Your Eyes & Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty
People often say, "Don't judge a book by it's cover" and I think that at first glance, looking at the title, this book may very well be put back on the shelf. When I am looking for a new book to read, I am looking to escape the reality that I am currently in. Sometimes, that may include reading about other peoples' reality. This was definitely the case with this memoir.
Throughout the book, the author lets the reader in on some of her most interesting cases while working at Westwind Cremation and Burial. The most memorable one for me, was actually in the first chapter. Caitlin shows up to work on her first day and is tasked with shaving a corpse (which she had never done before). The description of such a simple task is told in such a humorous manner that the reader has no choice but to chuckle at the authors inexperience. Now, I will warn you, the entire book is not filled with all humor (although there are moments throughout). There are details about death that can at times be honest, yet gruesome. Sometimes I had to take a minute or two before I continued reading. But, with each story told, I felt that I became closer to what the author was experiencing. To me, that is what a great memoir does. It allows you to feel something.
The title, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes & Other Lessons from the Crematory may be off-putting to some people. In fact, I don't know many people who want to intentionally read about death. But, this book is so much more than that. The author, Caitlin Doughty, a young woman in her early twenties, not only discusses her up close and personal experiences with the deceased, but also gives historical information about the death industry and how far we have come. More importantly, she gives the reader a glimpse into how important it is to think about life, but also be appropriately prepared for death. She does this in such a way as to not depress the reader or send them into a panic mode, but calmly and rationally describes the beauty of death. It is very easy to see why this book became a New York Times Bestseller.
If you enjoy books with a non-traditional topic, mixed with some light humor, then this is the book for you. Another aspect that I really enjoyed about this book, was all of the historical information about death and the death industry. I felt that it really brought an intriguing element to the author's stories and, in my opinion, was very informative and eye-opening.
Throughout the book, the author lets the reader in on some of her most interesting cases while working at Westwind Cremation and Burial. The most memorable one for me, was actually in the first chapter. Caitlin shows up to work on her first day and is tasked with shaving a corpse (which she had never done before). The description of such a simple task is told in such a humorous manner that the reader has no choice but to chuckle at the authors inexperience. Now, I will warn you, the entire book is not filled with all humor (although there are moments throughout). There are details about death that can at times be honest, yet gruesome. Sometimes I had to take a minute or two before I continued reading. But, with each story told, I felt that I became closer to what the author was experiencing. To me, that is what a great memoir does. It allows you to feel something.
The title, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes & Other Lessons from the Crematory may be off-putting to some people. In fact, I don't know many people who want to intentionally read about death. But, this book is so much more than that. The author, Caitlin Doughty, a young woman in her early twenties, not only discusses her up close and personal experiences with the deceased, but also gives historical information about the death industry and how far we have come. More importantly, she gives the reader a glimpse into how important it is to think about life, but also be appropriately prepared for death. She does this in such a way as to not depress the reader or send them into a panic mode, but calmly and rationally describes the beauty of death. It is very easy to see why this book became a New York Times Bestseller.
If you enjoy books with a non-traditional topic, mixed with some light humor, then this is the book for you. Another aspect that I really enjoyed about this book, was all of the historical information about death and the death industry. I felt that it really brought an intriguing element to the author's stories and, in my opinion, was very informative and eye-opening.
Comments
Post a Comment