The Whole Death Catalog: A Lively Guide to the Bitter End

In the tradition of Mary Roachs bestselling Stiff and Jessica Mitfords classic expos The American Way of Death comes this meticulously researched, refreshingly irreverent, and lavishly illustrated look at death from acclaimed author Harold Schechter. With his trademark fearlessness and bracing sense of humor, Schechter digs deep into a wealth of sources to unearth a treasure trove of surprising facts, amusing anecdotes, practical information, and timeless wisdom about that undiscovered country to which we will all one day travel. Topics include

Death anxietyis your fear of death normal or off the scale?
You cant take it with you . . . or can you? Wacky wills and bizarre bequests
The hospice experiencegoing out in comfort and style
Deathbed and funeral etiquettehow to help the dying and mourn the dead with dignity
Death on demandwhy the right-to-die movement may be the next big thing
Good-bye everybodyfamous last words
The embalmers artall dressed up and nowhere to go
Behind the scenes at your local funeral home
Alternative burial choicesfrom coral reefs to outer space

From the cold, hard facts of death to lessons in the art of dying well, from what happens in the bodys last living moments to what transpires in the ground or in the furnace, from near-death experiences to speculation on the afterlife, The Whole Death Catalog leaves no gravestone unturned.