Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlyn Doughty
Reviewed by: Laura Warren, Reference Assistant
Genre: Non-Fiction/Memoirs
Suggested Age: Adult
What is the book about?: Caitlin Doughty has been obsessed with death since childhood. Growing up, she concealed this morbid part of herself from those around her, but upon entering college, she decided to embrace it. With a Master’s Degree in Medieval History, she began a job at a San Francisco crematory. This book follows Doughty as she finds her way through her new job responsibilities. We meet a myriad of mesmerizing characters, both living and dead. As she finds her way through each new experience with a death, the diversity of the rituals each culture follows becomes clearer and clearer. Through philosophers and anthropologists, Doughty discusses both the ritual and the physical activities surrounding an individual’s death or the death of a loved one. She also discusses how removed we, as the developed world, are from physically preparing those who have passed on. Through our distance from the dead, Doughty insists, we have stunted our personal, as well as cultural, understanding and acceptance of death. She advocates for reclaiming our dead and truly looking into the face of death as the only way to accept this inevitable part of life.
My review: I devoured this book in two sittings and found a kindred spirit in Caitlyn Doughty. I, like Doughty, have always found myself to be a little on the morbid side. I have a background in Anthropology, so studying cultures and death are not shocking to me, but this might not be the case for the majority of readers. I respect the frankness and humor which is weaved throughout this book. Individuals who must literally stare death in the face every day have to adapt the psychological tools needed to do this type of work. The author explained how different cultures approach death and framed the differences beautifully. Doughty argues that we, as westerners, have lost all contact with our dead. They have become another commodity, which we pay others to deal with. We, as individuals who are not part of the death business, do not deal with the bodies of our deceased, and because of this distance, we have lost the ability to handle death in a healthy manner. Though I do not agree that we have fully lost our death rituals, and do not necessarily agree with all of her other points, I find her arguments well thought out, soundly researched, thought provoking, and wonderfully assembled.
Heads up: This book is not for the squeamish. Doughty discusses, in detail, what happens to the body in death, and what goes on with the body behind closed doors. I understand this subject is taboo, and not for the faint of heart.
Rating: 5/5
About FDL Reads
Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each Tuesday at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!