Reviews tagging 'Cannibalism'

From Here to Eternity: Travelling the World to Find the Good Death by Caitlin Doughty

9 reviews

taliafranks's review against another edition

challenging informative inspiring fast-paced

4.25

In general the different cultural attitudes are described thoughtfully and always with empathy towards the deceased and their loved ones. The topic is a rough one that people who are distressed by death and all that comes with it might be uncomfortable with but this book is nevertheless potentially helpful for someone experiencing and contextualising their grief and/or how they themself would like their body to be treated after death. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, Death, Animal death, Blood, Suicide, Death of parent, Grief, Abortion, and Child death

Moderate: Classism, Gore, Cancer, Infertility, and Cannibalism

In general the book talks about death in depth including different cultural beliefs and actions regarding the process. There is one description of animal sacrifice that is fairly explicit, and an intense recounting of circumstances to terminating a wanted pregnancy due to terminal illness and risk of miscarriage/early infant death, not only in regards to emotions and procedures but also the reactions of anti-choice protesters.

burnt_milk's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

Does this count as a travel memoir for the StoryGraph genre challenge? sort of maybe probably not, but I'm shoving it in there anyway. 
This is a beautiful collection of the author's recounts of her travels, constantly questioning why we have this separation and fear of our dead. It was a short but interesting overview of how a few different cultures remember, celebrate, and care for their community members in death practices. The way we (speaking from Australia) treat death is so sanitised, this book feels hopeful in challenging some of our psychological blocks surrounding it.
I for one, can't wait to disintegrate into human compost. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Cannibalism, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Miscarriage, and Suicide

amplawrence's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Ableism, Death, Miscarriage, Child death, Animal death, and Cannibalism

tormerritt's review against another edition

informative reflective fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Cannibalism

particledamage's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

I read this book at a surprisingly and hurtfully apt time. In between starting and finishing this book, my cat that I’ve had since middle school declined rapidly, his body giving in to the cancer that’s been ravaging his body since late last year. 
 
I had to make the decision to put him down and I got to be there as a shot in his rear leg went from relaxing tranquilization to his final passing. I got to hold his head up as it went limp and limper still.
 
And as I sat on the room with his cooling body, kept warm by my mother gripping it tightly as she sobbed, I thought of this book.
 
About everything I’ve learned from Caitlin—death positivity in general, the concept of a good death, and the many rituals described within this book.
 
 And it helped, immensely. 
 
 This book and her sympathetic but hearty tone helped put me in the proper mindset in ushering my beloved pet to his death and understand it better.
 
 It’s a must read, though best put into context by Caitlin’s entire breadth of work and activism. It’s as culturally sensitive as it can be coming from the western, white perspective of its author while still letting her opinions come through. It’s informative, warming, and honest, never shying away from the true depths of death and the rituals (or lack thereof) around it. 
 
 Totally refreshing and somehow a light read despite the theoretically dark subject matter. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Cannibalism

katielaine_w's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful informative lighthearted reflective medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death of parent, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gore, Medical content, and Miscarriage

Minor: Cancer, Chronic illness, and Cannibalism

cammiem8's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

I’ve been following Caitlyn Doughty for years and I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read by her so far, this is no exception. She explores death and funeral practices in various places around the world with respect, insight, and her signature humor. Fans of Doughty’s YouTube series Ask A Mortician will see her distinctive voice seeping through the pages. However, this book might not be suitable for the squeamish, death is on every page and discussed matter of factly through the death positivity lens. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Child death, Death, Grief, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Abortion and Cannibalism

ziggypop's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Death, Grief, and Medical content

avadore's review

hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.5

Not sure what people think about my death obsession, but it sure is a joy to read such nuanced, gentle, insightful works that give time to such a shunned subject. Eighth house activities to share with loved ones is a strong theme and I am very here for it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, and Death

Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Cannibalism, and Medical trauma