After her brother dies and her mother is moved into a care facility, the author of this book sets out to discover more about death and the spirituality attached to that subject. This book is fascinating because it goes between cultures and looks at the way death is seen in a variety of cultures and how it’s both celebrated and revered. I think this is one of those books that will make you really think about things in your life and it truly is a fascinating piece to read. The cover art fit perfectly in I like the use of the skull, one of the most universal symbols of death and transformation.

Didn't care for it. I had a hard time actually getting into the book. Just couldn't connect. with anything this author said. There didn't feel like there was any connection to anything. Just words on paper.

I didn't entirely enjoy this book, but I liked the idea of this book. I did enjoy the journey part of it and how she has to continue her journey.

I wanted to like this and there are some interesting bits, but there's a level of condescension towards and dismissal of the practices of certain non-Western cultures that turned me right off. I'd recommend readers pick up Caitlin Doughty's book, From Here to Eternity, instead.

This book archived before I could download it. I am unsure how to remove it from my NetGalley other than to write this "review" of sorts and say I admittedly, did not read this one, but I think the cover is fantastic and I encourage others to check it out!

Everyone, at some point in their life, ponders their own beliefs about death and mortality. Many people have a lot of questions about the unknown, and not many answers. Near the Exit, written by Lori Erickson, documents her journey around the world as she tries to explore and cope with the idea of death. Lori explores area near and far, and how different cultures both share similarities and differing opinions in their thoughts about dying, and traditions associated with shuffling off this mortal coil.

Lori consistently ties her experiences in differing countries to either her experience at a Dia de los Muertos celebration that occurred early in quest, or to the Egyptians and her travel to Egypt. Being an Episcopal deacon, religious rituals and beliefs are also compared in addition to the cultural traditions.

One particular quote stood with me: "I like Doug's observation that at each step we're given what we need to go forward, but not all the answers we want. This makes surrender an essential part of the entire process, an acknowledgment of our powerlessness in the face of mystery. The older I get, the more I see this need for surrender as a gift and not a curse." Acceptance of what is to come truly is the best way to embrace death, and Lori finally arrives at that conclusion as she sums up her adventures.

I would rate this book as a 3.5-3.75. I found some of the information interesting; however, some of the parts of the books felt a little forced, in the sense that it felt like the author was trying to connect one of her travels to her topic, but it wasn't quite a direct association.

While this book is quite unsettling if you have a fear of death, it is also very healing. A much different book than I am usually interested in. Thank you to NetGalley and Westminster John Knox Press for a copy of this book for an honest review.

This book was exactly what I expected! I enjoyed all the different takes on the subject of death, and overall collection was a great experience that made me think.

A very interesting look into death from the viewpoint of different cultures / religions.

Very moving and thought - provoking.

This book was refreshing in an awkward way, and that’s not a bad thing. Experiences that are oftentimes shunned or considered morbid, were covered with a sense of empathy and the realism that this is a path we all must walk.

Lori Erickson is an Episcopal deacon and travel writer who documents her journey around the world to explore death and funeral customs in Near the Exit: Travels with the Not-So-Grim Reaper. Egyptian pyramids, Mayan temples, Day of the Dead celebrations, Victorian cemeteries, Maori marae, and a pyre in Colorado are each visited and described in lush detail with spiritual insights from a minister who is reflecting on loss in her own life following the death of a brother and her mother’s move to a long-term care facility. Beginning and ending with All Saints, this 2019 book is a fast-paced read that is sure to offer some inspiration for the preacher and worship planner in October/November as well as a bit of an escape for those who miss travelling farther afield than their bubble.

I love the cover of this book. I even like the description. But the actual book doesn't do anything for me. There are certain parts that are good and some of the cultural insights are interesting. But mostly this is a collection of disjointed stories that read like a personal blog written for friends and family. I don't really get it. The premise is good, but so much of the book is not about death, it's just the author rambling about her life.

In Near the Exit the reader is granted a kind of ride along experience of the Authors cross culture adventure in understanding death.
I really enjoyed Lori Erikson’s narrative style and can personally relate to the emotional struggles that spurred on this journey. I was relieved to find they are respectful of the cultures encountered despite viewing them with a decidedly Christian lens. The cover on the e-arc is particularly enjoyable and as a reader I really hope it is the final cover for the paperback.
In many ways this book reads similarly to Caitlin Doughty’s From Here to Eternity. As such fans of the earlier work may enjoy re-examining the topic with a focus on faith/religion and how it informs death practices across cultures.

Near The Exit is a book about death and how different cultures deal with it. It tackles on superstitions, burial sites and rituals. It's very insightful and I recommend to those who enjoy the Lore podcast.

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I chose this book not knowing it was going to completely change me. The author talks about many cultural death rituals that I found fascinating. I’ve always had the experience of death being a scary, sad affair. It’s impressed me to re-evaluate my fears and consider my emotional view. I have a Christian world view, but I still struggle deeply with death and dying. It makes me uncomfortable.
I was most moved by her story about her mother in a nursing home and the death and dying workshops she attended. Wow! I felt like I was sitting in the middle of a support group with both topics and soaked up all the information like a sponge. I’m even going to attend a workshop myself now that I know more about it.
I highly recommend this book and thought the author did an excellent job. The writing was very good.
A quote from the book: “I’m grateful to have made the acquaintance of death in a variety of forms, peculiar as that may sound. In a society where dying is so removed from most people’s lives, we lose the chance to become familiar with its outlines and psychic shape. Familiarity can bring understanding, and maybe a little less fear of the inevitable.”

This was a NETGALLEY gift and all opinions are my own. Thank you for reading my honest review.

I actually ended up really enjoying this read. The author's brother dies, her mother is moved into a nursing home with dementia. These all brought her to the desire to understand death. After traveling the world to understand other cultures and their view on death, she comes to her own understanding, combining that knowledge with her ecclesiastical knowledge. With a little bit of humor and a lot of interesting insights, this book was a fascinating look at how our own morés have been shaped by the past.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC for my honest opinion.

Lori Erickson's book is an interesting examination on death from the vantage point of different cultures.

(3.5 stars) Erickson’s tour through death rituals around the world has the misfortune of being that little bit too similar to Caitlin Doughty’s From Here to Eternity. For instance, both authors visit Crestone, Colorado’s open funeral pyre, and discuss the practice of keeping corpses in the home in Sulawesi, Indonesia. What makes Erickson’s book different is her focus on religion: she’s a deacon in the Episcopal Church and often writes about pilgrimages, e.g. in Holy Rover, so she’s interested in how faith affects our preparations for death.

Along with her travels – to Mayan and Aztec temples in Mexico, among the Maori people of New Zealand, to Assisi, and so on – she remains close to home to look at how people deal with death in middle America (she’s from Iowa). She writes about hospice, nursing homes, funeral parlors and graveyards, drawing on her own experience of her father’s death and her mother’s dementia. It’s a thought-provoking book, but also a surprisingly pleasant one given the subject matter, and so would make a good introduction to the contemplation of death for religious folk.

This section stood out most for me:

“Buddhism, more than any other tradition, sees meditation on our Final Exit as a uniquely powerful form of spiritual practice.” – The Five Remembrances begin with: “I am of the nature to grow old. There is no way to escape growing old. I am of the nature to have ill-health. There is no way to escape having ill-health. I am of the nature to die. There is no way to escape death.”

I think these could be useful mantras to repeat to myself if I’m ever tempted to ask, why?

This is an interesting book about the spiritual and physical journey of a Christian-ish woman and her fascination with death.  A lot of the book has to do with different cultural expressions of dealing with the reality of death, and occasionally the author comments on her own struggles understanding and coming to grips with the implications of death.  I found the physical observations of different cultures very interesting.  I personally found the author's commentary on death not very interesting.

Lori Erickson is an Episcopalian deacon, as well as a travel writer. Her latest project has fused her love of spirituality and global travel in “Near the Exit: Travels with the Not-So-Grim Reaper.” For the last year, I have been reading a lot about death and the ceremonies surrounding our farewell to this life. “Near the Exit” seemed like an interesting trip that I could take, without ever leaving home.

Lori and her husband began to travel to places known more for their afterlife, than their nightlife. Starting, not far from her Iowa home, in Chicago, for el Dia de Los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. She moved on to the temples of Egypt, and then to the Aztec temples and even to places I’ve never heard of—like Crestone, Colorado. Lori met with people from various faith backgrounds and cultures to learn how others cope with death as their loved ones and they near the exit of life.

The author began this journey because her brother had died, and with her mom in the nursing home with Alzheimer’s, she was preparing to one day lose her, as well. As the book progresses, we learn a bit more about the author and how she is processing loss and impending loss. Ultimately, she thinks about preparing for the day she gets near the exit of her own life.

"Near the Exit" is uplifting! I found the writing to be touching and even humorous at times. My husband recently died, so it was interesting to read about the way that others approach death. The overall tone of “Near the Exit” was positive and uplifting. Lori was open to learning from others’ experiences. I think that anyone who approaches this book in that way will enjoy it as much as I did. I think the Maori were my favorite people to read about. Perhaps it's because my husband and I used to watch a show about a funeral home in New Zealand and that helped him to make some end-of-life decisions.

“Near the Exit” felt a lot like a travelogue. It made me want to visit other countries and ask them about how they celebrate someone’s life after it has been spent. I also felt really good about some of the things that my husband chose at the end of his life, the time we spent with him before and after he died. If this book does nothing more than getting you talking to your loving ones about what you want to be done at the end of your life, then I would say you must read this book. But I would bet that it will do much more. You will be thinking about it long after you close the cover. “Near the Exit” was a joy to read!

Thank you to Westminster John Knox Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.