A review by toastyghosty13
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty

dark funny informative lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

3.75

This was a cool book that told the authors story of what it was like to work in a crematory. I could have done without some of the tangential info on Caitlins time living in a neighborhood where there were homeless people and how she started to have feelings with her friend, but everything else in this book was really cool to learn about. 

Apparently, it is exceedingly difficult to get into the funeral home industry because it is a family practice that is often passed down, and you find yourself in the existential career cycle of "can't get a job because I need more experience but this job is the only way I can get more experience." This showed Caitlin's journey of breaking into the crematory business and the background of her fascination with the dead, and how she realized her hated for embalming. The people Caitlin work with are also funny and enjoyable to read about.

I would recommend this to anyone curious about cremation and processing the dead, but caution anyone that might be grossed out by bodily fluids.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings