Catching up on really old titles. I'm very sorry I didn't get a chance to read it before it expired. Thanks for approving my request.

I apologize, the galley timed out before I had a chance to read it. Since I did not read it in time, I am unable to publish a review.

What an incredible read! Doughty's exploration of death rituals across the globe is incredibly interesting and moving.

The one certainty we all have in life is that one day we will die. Latest statistics show that 151.6k people die every day in the world, meaning a lot of bodies to dispose of. In 'From Here to Eternity" Caitlin Doughty travels the world trying to find alternatives to the most common forms of disposal - cremation and burial.
From primitive sky burials in Nepal to hi-tech entombment in a buddha columbarium in Japan, there's a broad scale of alternative options for people seeking a less traditional treatment for their mortal remains, and not all of them in distant lands. Closer to home there are human composting sites in the US managed by the Urban Death Project and the only US open-air funeral pyre in Colorado.
This is a fascinating look at the non-traditional treatment of the dead with genuine viable options for those not wishing to eke out their eternities in wooden boxes six feet under or mixed in with strangers at a crematorium. A highly thought-provoking read.

“The world slides, the world goes, and death makes equal the rich and the poor”
― Bangambiki Habyarimana, Pearls Of Eternity

This book was both entertaining and informative, the perfect combination for a non-fiction book. Learning about what happens in different cultures after people die is fascinating and I learned so much. It is amazing how much thought humans put into what happens to bodies after death and how many different traditions have popped up around the world. I would highly recommend this book for both its knowledge and its amusement.

I received this title via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This book struck me as much less political/agenda-ish than Doughty's first. There were several such moments but not nearly as hardcore.
That being said, I enjoyed this book very much and have mentioned it in conversation to many people. They too have been fascinated by some of the death rituals included in this book. Such discussing of ritual is exactly what Doughty seems to be encouraging in the first place!
I would have liked to see a few more locations explored though, but that might just be my curiosity for such a topic and might not have been feasible for the author at this time. I'm sure if she could, she'd explore every possible death ritual! perhaps there will be more of her world like this. There certainly seems to be an audience for it!

In From Here to Eternity, Caitlin Doughty is on a mission to encourage many of us to approach our thoughts about death in a different way. Many of us live in countries in which death has become an industry in which we are separated from the death of our loved ones (i.e., their body is removed and we are instead focused on choosing a casket or working out the details of a funeral).

As someone who is uncomfortable with death, I found this book refreshing. She embarks on a journey of various locations and cultures and considers other approaches to death. There are many different approaches including sky burials, open-air pyres, and long-delayed burials. I appreciated the respect that Doughty paid to these cultures by working to avoid being another "death tourist."

This is a great and short read that will encourage you to re-think the current approach to death and will educate you about a few other approaches.

Absolutely fantastic book that gave me a lot to think about. It's probably best read after Doughty's first book, although I think I enjoyed this one even more. I would very happily read another book that involved her observing funerary rituals in more locations.

I've been a follower of Caitlin's YouTube channel for a few months now, and I am really impressed with how much research and knowledge she has in her field. When I found out her new book was on NetGalley, I had to pick it up right away! Caitlin writes about her observations and activities regarding death ritual in a respectful way. Her personality also shines through in her writing as well, making it an educational and entertaining read without distracting from the topic at hand. I will be adding this book to my personal collection as soon as it comes out!

I really enjoyed Doughty's first book, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, about her experience with the American death industry. This book builds on that with a global perspective, describing death cultures in several specific communities around the world. Just as fascinating as the first.

Equal parts funny and affecting, this novel will make you think about life and death (and beyond).

Caitlin Doughty has done it again! Smoke Gets in Your Eyes has been one of my favorite handsells for the last two years because EVERYONE is curious about death especially in a culture in which we are so pushed away from it and pushed closer to sense of eternal youth and immortality. Both funny and humbling, rom Here to Eternity allows a glimpse into a variety of death rituals and ways of interacting with both death and the dead. Like Caitlin, I have always wanted a sky burial, but now I'm pretty set on my body becoming compost somewhere. A necessary book for helping us look at death and grief and hold it close to the heart while also turning the process into something more kind to the earth. Self-awareness and environmentally friendly!? Yes please!

3.75/5. I loved Doughty's first book and it's examination of death combined with tales throughout her career as a mortician, and I was super excited for this next work considering it involves travel and learning about death cultures around the world, but there was a little bit of something missing from this for me. The whole book felt a little jumpy and disjointed, and the humor maybe a little overt. All in all, I learned quite a bit and there were some fascinating information, but I didn't love it as much as I was anticipating that I would. I'd still definitely recommend this and her previous book because they are short and you can absolutely learn a lot from them. It also forces you to really think about death and your beliefs.

I mean it's Caitlin Doughty she can do no wrong really. One thing I have always admired about her writing is that she is no holds barred. She lays it out for you(literally). I also appreciate that she is so respectful, she makes you not afraid of the subject matter even though she is brutally honest at times.

In From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death, mortician, YouTube vlogger, and death-positive advocate Caitlin Doughty brings us face-to-face with different death customs and rituals from around the world and shows us not to be afraid of the inevitable. Full of interesting anecdotes, just the right amount of humor, and an obvious passion for her work, Doughty brings us along to share in her experiences. From the ma'nene celebrations of Indonesia to natural no-frills green burials, Americans and others accustomed to the "traditional" Western funeral can learn a lot about others and themselves by how they care for their dead.

Phenomenal and interesting take on a subject that no matter how much we Americans try to avoid it, we can never escape it: Death. Doughty's tone is empathic and emotionally raw as she takes readers on a journey to explore modern culture surrounding death and offers unique insight.

I have been a fan of Caitlin Doughty since the early days of Ask a Mortician. She is an exceedingly knowledgeable and vivacious person. She takes a subject which we see as very dark, inappropriate, even taboo and returns it to a fact of existence. Something we need to face head on: "And remember, you will die."

"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" was Caitlin's journey to her, shall we say, death activism? While "From Here to Eternity" shows that other cultures are light years ahead of where the west could be in terms of their dead. It also explores how she as a mortician, and a socialized Westerner deals with death customs we might deem weird or unnatural. There is an excitement to her writing that is infectious, unlike corpses which will not hurt you. Her enthusiasm for her subject, and her overall joy for learning more about the worldly death community is refreshing. She doesn't sugarcoat what's happening, she takes us in depth to situations which would unnerve us and explains that it is all just different. Different doesn't mean bad, it just means it is something we aren't used to.

There is a lot to be learned from Ms. Doughty and I hope she continues on her knowledge sharing path. Your Deathlings love you, and thank you for existing.

In the United States, burial and cremation at the hands of professionals seem like the only options for a body after death. Mortician and author Caitlin Doughty (Ask a Mortician, Smoke Gets in Your Eye) has returned to explore death culture around the world. From Indonesia where bodies are treated and cared for as if they are still alive and merely awaiting transition, to Spain where death is a family affair even when the family is divided from the body by glass. The new book, From Here to Eternity, is a first-hand account of death culture around with the assistance of famous folks from The Order of the Good Death.

From Here to Eternity is a fantastic book that does not shy away from moments of humor and humility. There are moments where a pig must be acquired for sacrifice, where Doughty accidentally finds herself on Instagram accounts in other countries or occasionally in someone's family photo. Doughty helps the reader comprehend the difficulties of facing death, as well as the importance of not being afraid of it, nor letting the funeral industry take away the power of families.

Caitlin Doughty's From Here to Eternity is a delight and was a great comfort when confronting the mortality of a recently deceased family member. We might not be able to stop death from coming, but we can learn to not be as afraid.