Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty

36 reviews

spookily's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0


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pixelpigeon's review against another edition

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challenging dark funny informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

I've never noticed a lot of our cultural deeply-held beliefs about death, and never thought to challenge them. This book was like stretching a sore muscle. It felt good to lean into the discomfort.

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oliverreeds's review against another edition

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dark funny slow-paced

4.0


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asiaasiaja's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.75


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maethereader's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

A very enlightening read! Some of the personal details, like with the love interest, seemed unnecessary and out of place, but I also understand this is a memoir if someone who is in the early 20s. I really appreciated this look inside the death industry, and I learned so much about embalming and cremation, and the history of both. I will definitely be looking into green/natural options for myself and my loved ones. Hearing the stories of death, or more like dead bodies, definitely helped me understand this topic which is so hidden in modern life. I feel so much more prepared and grateful to have read this book.

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ssarahbbeth's review against another edition

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dark funny informative reflective fast-paced

4.25


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printingbetweenthepages's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.0

I stumbled upon this book as a recommended read from Booktube, although I can’t remember who it was that recommended it, I’m glad that they did! Morbid, but incredibly interesting and educational with a level of intrigue that made this a fast-listen (I chose the audiobook version to read). This first-hand account of experiences working in a mortuary was eye opening and done in a way that respected the dead and the processes that happen once one is deceased. Society, myself included, often skirts around the issue of death and what happens to us after death (not in a religious sense, in a physical sense). Personally, I feel that it’s the unknown that bothers us, and this book answers a lot of those unknowns. I really enjoyed learning about the historical events that took place over time that impacted how the dead where “handled” and how history and the changing beliefs over time have changed the mortuary business. Probably not the book for all, but those with a scientific background or interest in how things work, while being able to handle the subject matter, will find this book an enjoyable peek into the mysteries of death and mortuaries…and I have to say after learning about the topic it’s a lot less terrifying! 

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cruelaz's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective relaxing fast-paced

4.0


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blep's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

3.75

In my personal opinion, it was not as deep as I thought it was going to be and that was a bit of a disappointment. Interesting as a resource on funeral operations but lacking on the emotional reflection side. Just my opinion, might re-read and update

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taleofabibliophile's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

5.0


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