Smoke gets in your eyes

& other lessons from the crematory

363 pages

English language

Published Nov. 14, 2015 by Thorndike Press.

ISBN:
978-1-4104-7518-3
Copied ISBN!
OCLC Number:
891186023

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4 stars (2 reviews)

Most people want to avoid thinking about death, but Caitlin Doughty -- a twenty-something with a degree in medieval history and a flair for the macabre -- took a job at a crematory, turning morbid curiosity into her life's work. Thrown into a profession of gallows humor and vivid characters (both living and very dead), Caitlin learned to navigate the secretive culture of those who care for the deceased. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes tells an unusual coming-of-age story full of bizarre encounters and unforgettable scenes. Caring for dead bodies of every color, shape, and affliction, Caitlin soon becomes an intrepid explorer in the world of the dead.

8 editions

Review of 'Smoke gets in your eyes' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

"This need for meaning is why some believe in an intricate system of potential afterlives, others believe sacrificing a certain animal on a certain day leads to healthy crops, and still others believe the world will end when a ship constructed with the untrimmed nails of the dead arrives carrying a corpse army to do battle with the gods at the end of days. (Norse mythology will always be the most metal, sorry.)"

Subjects

  • Undertakers and undertaking
  • Biography
  • Anecdotes

Places

  • United States