If you've not read very much about death before, then this is certainly a good place to start. If you're into death, then much of this book will not be surprising. Much as the title promises, this book covers the full range of things related to death. From means of disposing of the body to decomposition of it to funeral paraphernalia, this is a wide ranging look at the ways people die and memorialize. Schechter provides history of the funeral practices he discusses, as well as bizarre variations on common practices. Schechter certainly has a taste for the odd, and he has an excellent sense of humor. He laments the fact that death is now sanitized and secret; it has been taken out of people's lives, and people try to pretend it doesn't exist. This seems to be a common sentiment among those who are into death. In any case, this is a good introduction if you want a humorous look at death culture. ( )

Everyone will eventually be faced with this topic either by accident or otherwise. This book takes a kind of whimsical approach in looking at endless topics related to this eventual demise. ( )