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A great afternoon read if your into this kind of stuff. Jul 07, Cori Farris rated it it was amazing. Very interesting - if you're into this kind of stuff - and I am. This book is more or less death, in easily digestible, bite-size pieces.
What really made me a little nervous is that, in many of the sections of this extremely entertaining book, the author mentioned books and websites from which he got his information. It wasn't the mentioning that made me nervous.
It was the fact that, much of the time, my reaction was, "Got that," "Read that," "That's on the bookshelf," or "I love that website. I want to read that! You can even learn how to make your own bona fide corpse! No, I'm not kidding. But all that just scratches the surface of all the great information this book has to offer the curious reader. He writes extensively on true crime and and has also authored an anthology of true crime writing, entitled "True Crime: An American Anthology",.
For "The Whole Death Catalogue", Schechter employes and lively and sometimes ironic sense of humor while remaining respectful in his treatment of a subject many aren't comfortable discussing.
Readers will discover stories of near-death experiences and the studies performed on same, what happens to our bodies once we've taken our last breath, how people avoided burying someone alive by accident and, of course, tips on deathbed and funeral etiquette.
Schechter also cites a huge number of extra-curricular reading sources for a more detailed look at many aspects of death, from Mary Roach's wonderful "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers" to Jessica Mitford's scathing expose and critique of the funeral industry, "The American Way of Death: Revisited". I highly recommend exploring "The Whole Death Catalogue". Now you'll have to excuse me. Jun 24, Marjanne rated it really liked it. This was a fun read. It's nice to feed my inner Goth once in a while.
I found this book very interesting. I liked that the author managed to be serious but also had a sense of humor. There were some very light sections, but some very helpful sections too. I was able to discover that I am a 'taphophile'. Naturally, because this book is about death, some readers may find of the various discussions a bit unappetizing such as the description of decay.
I think I may actually add this to my wish lis This was a fun read. I think I may actually add this to my wish list. Jul 04, Ryan Mishap rated it liked it Shelves: guide-books. One of those crazy amalgations of facts, anecdotes, references, suggested readings, myths, funny asides, and so much more. I believe the title will tell you about what. The sardonic humour is lively enough. Some of the information is even helpful, such as creating wills and living wills or dealing with grief.
It isn't a depressed in the dark kind of death book, for sure, I just felt a little confused by why he made this. I think just for the oddity of it, like Rudimentary Peni's "Cachophony"--b One of those crazy amalgations of facts, anecdotes, references, suggested readings, myths, funny asides, and so much more.
I think just for the oddity of it, like Rudimentary Peni's "Cachophony"--but, of ocurse, it doesn't achieve brilliance like that! Sep 13, Tara rated it liked it. This is one I really skimmed through. It is a pretty comprehensive catalogue and is a good source for a lot of serious questions. The book does handle the topic of death in a "lively" manner, but seriously addresses many aspects of death, grieving, what to tell the children, etc. I picked it up due to the cover and the amusing description.
I could never have read it in depth, but I do recommend people look through it. The portions on the history of how cultures handle all aspects of death were v This is one I really skimmed through. The portions on the history of how cultures handle all aspects of death were very interesting and well done.
Jan 05, Collin rated it really liked it Shelves: nonfic , novel-research. A very entertaining, broad overview of the business of death. Though it didn't have a lot of what I really need for my personal research information on older, foreign methods and rituals of death , most of the information is modern and helpful to those looking to understand the business of current American funerals.
At least, I think it is. Not being an expert in that, I wouldn't know. But it did seem helpful. It's written in a wry, no-nonsense tone that makes it enjoyable to read. Recommended i A very entertaining, broad overview of the business of death.
Recommended if you want a basic understanding of how death works, so to speak, in 21st century America. Mary Roach's Stiff is still the best book to read because it is light hearted enough to enjoy the read. Oct 24, Lisa rated it liked it. Lively indeed, although I had pretty much already read or knew about the info HS presents.
On the plus side of the e version, there are a jillion fascinating links that you can instantly access. My personal favorite is Mummy Bear Jun 02, Jessica rated it really liked it Shelves: social-histories , that-contribute-to-my-understanding , humorous , because-it-sounds-cool , philosophical , all-sciency-and-stuff.
I love these kind of books. Not death books, just ones that are filled with tons and tons of amazing and interesting factoids. This social history covers death in all its cultural facets; mythological origins, ads that were posted for death clothes, funeral laws, etc. It's written with a humorous bent, so beware if you take death too seriously.
Apr 03, Vanessa rated it really liked it. An intriguing and comprehensive look at all things related to death, from gory to humorous. My only issue was that one of the bizarre deaths quoted from another book turned out to be an urban legend. Still, very well done.
Jun 15, J. An interesting collection of information and facts about death and dying. I know that might not sound great to some people, but I thought it was fascinating. Jan 10, Emily rated it really liked it Shelves: non-fiction , meridian. Schechter truly covers the gamut on this morbidly fascinating topic. No guarantees on the outcome of that one Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help. Metropolitan Library System. Search Search Search Browse menu. Sign in.
Live Chat. The Whole Death Catalog. Description Creators Details In the tradition of Mary Roach's bestselling Stiff and Jessica Mitford's classic expose The American Way of Death comes this meticulously researched and refreshingly irreverent look at death from acclaimed author Harold Schechter. With his trademark fearlessness and bracing sense of humor, Schechter digs deep into a wealth of sources to unearth a treasure trove of surprising facts, amusing anecdotes, practical information, and timeless wisdom about that undiscovered country to which we will all one day travel.
Topics include: - Death anxiety-is your fear of death normal or off the scale? Wacky wills and bizarre bequests - The hospice experience-going out in comfort and style - Deathbed and funeral etiquette-how to help the dying and mourn the dead with dignity - Death on demand-why the right-to-die movement may be the next big thing - "Good-bye everybody"-famous last words.
Languages English. In the tradition of Mary Roach's bestselling Stiff and Jessica Mitford's classic expose The American Way of Death comes this meticulously researched and refreshingly irreverent look at death from acclaimed author Harold Schechter. Details Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc.
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