Smoke Gets in Your Eyes & Other Lessons from the Crematory

Caitlin Doughty recounts her entry into the funeral industry, specifically her time spent operating the retorts at West Laurel Cemetery in Oakland. She describes the mechanical logistics of cremation, the visceral physical changes a corpse undergoes after death, and the daily rituals of preparing remains for families. Alongside these technical details, Doughty explains the evolution of American death denial, contrasting modern sanitized practices with historical morbid traditions and contemporary cross-cultural funeral rites. She argues for the reclamation of death care by the living, advocating for a more hands-on relationship with the deceased.

Morticians, medical professionals, and individuals curious about the logistics of the afterlife read this memoir to strip away the mystery surrounding the funeral business. Readers gain a practical understanding of what happens to the human body behind the closed doors of a crematory. The book provides a historical and scientific framework for overcoming the anxiety associated with mortality. By the final chapter, the reader possesses a clearer perspective on the industrialization of grief and the biological reality of their own physical end.

Clear-cut; an easy read.

Best for readers like The Escapist Adventurer. Which reader are you?