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3.72k reviews for:
From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death
Caitlin Doughty
4.32 AVERAGE
3.72k reviews for:
From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death
Caitlin Doughty
4.32 AVERAGE
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
dark
funny
informative
fast-paced
Again, I love everything by Caitlin Doughty. This book was a fascinating look at death traditions in different cultures. I found the chapter about Mexico and Sarah's experience dealing with the loss of her unborn child especially poignant, as I've had my own struggles with multiple miscarriages - finding a place for that grief is really hard. It also gave me some new options for me to consider when I eventually die as well and my loved ones decide what to do with my body. This was a fascinating and well-written book to end the year on.
I love Caitlin Doughty's YouTube channel Ask a Mortician. She does such an incredible job of advocating for the good death by educating and demystifying the taboo surrounding death and burial practices, all with a beautiful compassion that shines through. This was the first book of hers that I have read, and I will definitely be reading her other works! All of the content of this book was new (something you don't always see from Internet creators who cross over to physical books) and fascinating. I would absolutely recommend this book, along with her YouTube channel, to any human being with a body.
Caitlin Doughty's follow up to her hit Smoke Gets In Your Eyes features a well-designed jacket (David J. High) with a haunting skull illustration (Landis Blair) beneath a fairly misleading title. While trips are taken around the world, the majority of the book seems to focus on our own backyard. This isn't quite a letdown, as the States are more a hodgepodge of other lands than a land of their own making, but it still isn't quite accurate in its construction. Additionally, rather than finding the good death, Doughty uncovers the more profound (and obvious for those in the cultural field) many good deaths.
The rest, however, is as advertised, and I think the reason I didn't enjoy it as much, is because I failed to realize what I was getting into. As much as I think I'll always enjoy a travelogue, I just don't. I came for (and received brilliantly) cultural exploration and people practicing their most sacred and precious ceremonies. I just also got the travel information I can always do without. Death and dying fascinates me, and cultural studies will always be my first and greatest love, I just didn't realize it came in the same package as all the rest of it. Blair's inside illustrations, however, are stunning and haunting, and are worth the price of the book in and of themselves. Everything else is a bonus.
The rest, however, is as advertised, and I think the reason I didn't enjoy it as much, is because I failed to realize what I was getting into. As much as I think I'll always enjoy a travelogue, I just don't. I came for (and received brilliantly) cultural exploration and people practicing their most sacred and precious ceremonies. I just also got the travel information I can always do without. Death and dying fascinates me, and cultural studies will always be my first and greatest love, I just didn't realize it came in the same package as all the rest of it. Blair's inside illustrations, however, are stunning and haunting, and are worth the price of the book in and of themselves. Everything else is a bonus.
gives another meaning to “dark tourist”
we venture around the world, in search of the good death — informative and unique!
we venture around the world, in search of the good death — informative and unique!
This book was fun, but not memorable. Best read sporadically when you want something interesting but not engaging for 15 min of reading before bed, or as background listening while you're working on chores around the house. Learning about various death-related rituals around the world was cool, and I did appreciate the author's focus on emphasizing that people like what they grew up with - no ritual is bad, people just have strong reactions when death and the unfamiliar are combined.
That being said, other aspects of her book were really frustrating. I suppose it is good to learn how much of the American funeral tradition is really a product of the funeral business maximizing profits, but what can I do with that information? If I wanted to push for change, who would I contact? Are there groups working on this? I realize that providing next steps is asking a lot for a pop science book, but even just adding suggested resources in an appendix would have been appreciated.
TL;DR - not a bad read, but check it out from the library instead of buying
That being said, other aspects of her book were really frustrating. I suppose it is good to learn how much of the American funeral tradition is really a product of the funeral business maximizing profits, but what can I do with that information? If I wanted to push for change, who would I contact? Are there groups working on this? I realize that providing next steps is asking a lot for a pop science book, but even just adding suggested resources in an appendix would have been appreciated.
TL;DR - not a bad read, but check it out from the library instead of buying
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced