Monday, May 16, 2016

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

After all my post in April, I’ve found myself busy in May and not very prolific.  I am writing a longer post about my recent injury, but that’s not yet ready.  I did sail this weekend, the first time since the accident, but didn't take photos.  Over the past couple of months, I’ve read a number of books that I had wanted to review, but have never gotten around to it.  Most I probably won’t get around to it, but this was one that I thought deserved a review. 


Caitlin Doughty, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes & Other Lessons from the Crematory (New York: Norton, 2014), 254 pages

Having grown up in Hawaii and with a degree in medieval history, Caitlin Doughty may seem an odd candidate for operating a retort (the machine that burns the body) in a crematory.  But it’s not as far-fetched as one might think.  Her college studies involved the persecutions of witches, and those suspected of such activities often ended up being burned.  Thankful, Doughty was only burning the already deceased, but she paused long enough to reflect on the comparisons. 

Doughty first took a position in a Bay Area crematory that had a variety of clientele that included unclaimed bodies from the county morgue, people looking for low cost cremations, and immigrant groups who wanted to be with the body as it was burned.   The crematory’s two retorts were often busy and she reflects on picking out which bodies to burn and how, when they had extra time, they would burn unclaimed bodies or even amputee body parts from local hospitals.  You learn the details, the temperature of the retort, what happens to bones and to those who have a lot of excess fat (some of this is gross).  During her time at this crematory, Doughty experiences all parts of the business:  operating the retorts, picking up bodies, meeting with family members, and preparing the body for viewing.  Her first day at work she had to shave a man.  Bodies that are to be viewed are generally embalmed and we learn of the hazards of such chemicals.   As Doughty tells of her adventures, she also recounts the history of the funeral industry (it really got going during the American Civil War) and what has happened to it since then including the writings of Jessica Mitford.  She tells her story, along with the details of the history, with humor and grace.  She introduces her co-workers who mostly seem pretty normal, but then she tells about her adventures of going to S&M clubs while in high school in Hawaii to be flogged (high school, really?).

While working at the Bay Area Crematory, Doughty applies to mortuary school and leaves the Bay Area for Southern California.  Working with the dead, she begins to understand and appreciate the role the funeral business provides.  Although death rituals have often been tied to religious beliefs, she realizes how the American way of “hiding death” within the funeral industry doesn’t allow people an opportunity to grieve.  She encourages people to reclaim the practice of Ars Moriendi  (the art of dying).  She starts a website (The Order of the Good Death) and muses about opening her own crematory in which people could participate in meaningful ways to handle the bodies of loved ones.   

I recommend this memoir. Believe it or not, there are some funny parts in this book.  Furthermore, sooner or later, our bodies will no longer be functioning.  When that happens, things go south quickly (which is why we have funeral rituals: there is a body and something has to be done with it).  Knowing what happens after our lives are over, and making some decisions that reflect our beliefs, may give us comfort and also be comforting to those left behind.  By the way, this is the second book I’ve reviewed in this blog (two out of several hundred) about the funeral industry.  The other, which I also recommend, is Thomas Lynch’s The UndertakingDoughty referred to Lynch’s writing in her book.

As for what happens to us after the grave or retort, check out The Walking Man's musings.  Some interesting thoughts to ponder about our view of the next life.

30 comments:

  1. Not my usual cup of tea but it sounds fascinating.

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  2. This sounds fascinating and a book out of my normal wheelhouse. I like to get books like these to break up long stretches on a particular subject. For example, right now I am reading a book about Topsy the elephant and the early circus in America after reading several military books. This one goes onto my list for sure.

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  3. I do believe it and yes this sounds extremely worth reading, and I shall check this out! My May has been very busy too, in fact mostly since January so I know exactly how you feel. I really enjoy keeping up with you and everyone else too!

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  4. I forgot to mention too, I like that song as well! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbQuYgPrM0k

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  5. This sounds interesting and a bit macabre. This is a side of the funeral process that I've given little thought to, so I'm sure I would learn a lot from this book.

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  6. I read about this author in a magazine article. She's got a very interesting take on dealing with death and dying. Her humor was a riot, but at the same time, I was kind of cringing inside.

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  7. I don't think I'll be reading this, but I do have a general plan to be cremated. I have such a fear of fire (dating back to a childhood incident), that I can hardly bear the thought of it, but we know it's just one's body. Now to get rid of that excess weight... :)

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  8. Lessons from a crematory? Oh no. No, no, no, no. You're talking to someone who is seriously afraid of fire, and decided against cremation because it creeps her out. This is a book I wouldn't even want to touch. *runs away* Haha :P

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  9. Growing up with an older brother who is a pathologist, we had some pretty interesting conversations around the dinner table. So, yes... this book sounds quite good and will go on my wish list.

    Have you read any books by Mary Roach? She wrote one called "Stiff" that deals with cadavers - very informative with a good dose of humor added in, as well. I reviewed it long ago on my blog.

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  10. I can't handle going to calling hours with viewing, so I will skip this read.

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  11. Sounds fascinating. I sometimes wonder about people who work with dead bodies. In Judaism, it's a very high level mitzvah (good deed) to wash and prepare the dead body for burial. I don't think I could do that, and I have great respect for those who do.

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  12. Having been to the retort 3 or 4 times in my life to watch the cadaver go into the fire--I don't find it gruesome or sad as much as methodical and pretty perfunctory. My FiL had a solid hardwood casket it took near two days to completely burn, then my BiL was in a simple cardboard box--his ashes were ready the next day.

    My cadaver reality is to follow both of my parents example and donate the meat to a school of medicine and never been seen or heard of again. I will live on as long as someone remembers my name and that's cool with me.

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  13. This seems morbid, yet it looks like something I'd read.

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  14. Yes, it does sound a bit morbid to me too but also fascinating. Hope you are healing well from your injury. I'm new here so don't know the details of that. Have a great week, G

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  15. I think it would be interesting to know how cremations are done. Personally, I haven't decided if I want my body cremated or buried. This might help me figure that out. (Although I hope it's not something I have to worry about for a very long time!)

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  16. Of course for writers anything that lets us learn more about something that may come in useful at some point is worthwhile. Thanks.

    @Kathleen01930
    Blog

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  17. I always enjoy reading book reviews because it does make me question and think about my book choices more.
    So thank you for this

    All the best Jan

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  18. As my time approaches to make the transition I do wonder, but a lifetime 's work in science has left me assuming my particular iterations of carbon will join the other molecules that make up our planet.
    Does sound like a good read, though.
    Cheers,
    Mike
    Oh, and a Viking funereal would be cool, but who'd want to waste a good tinker-built boat?

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  19. Thank you again for introducing Caitlin, I checked out her book from my library, and believe it or not will feature her in my Good Fences post later today!

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  20. Thanks for that introduction. It sounds good.

    Greetings from London.

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  21. People are generally so uncomfortable talking about death. But you're absolutely right, each of us and everyone we know is going to go through it. No sense pretending otherwise. I've grown to appreciate books that are unashamed in their approach to the subject.

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  22. As macabre as this sounds...it also sounds very interesting. Something we are all going to face at one time or another!!

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  23. Add me to the list of those who are interested, but didn't think they would be. Thanks for the review!

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  24. I almost forgot...
    It's good to hear that you got back on the water. Congrats!

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  25. What a fascinating premise for a book. I'll certainly seek this out.

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  26. Fascinating. I've been intrigued by mortuaries ever since I read Evelyn Waugh's The Loved One.

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