I'm giving this book 3.5 (if possible) stars. There is definitely an audience for this book but I didn't enjoy the and-then, and-then quality of the writing. I also didn't get much from the author's description of his personal life. I'm writing off my reaction to a difference in taste rather than an indication of the relative merits of this book.

Note: If GR gave half-stars, I'd give this 3.5.

"Personal Effects" is the career memoir of Robert Jensen, head of the world's largest private disaster management company. Kenyon, his company, steps in when the unthinkable has happened: they retrieve human remains and effects, work to sort out their ownership, work with families to return them to next of kin in a way that respects the family's wishes and the deceased's individual beliefs.

While Jensen's work is by nature grim, the book's interest is not in gore. As the author moves from one international tragedy to another, he describes the logistical challenges that made this work necessary and the important communication role he and his colleagues serve. Over and again, he emphasizes the human reason for the specific choices they make, the tremendous respect and care that dictates the level of hyper-organization with which they approach their work.

For those looking for morbid details, for the record--you won't find that here. While the author acknowledges situations in which the deceased's remains have been fragmented (an airplane crash, for example), he doesn't provide or dwell on these details. He notes facts of body condition as needed, but does so as tastefully as possible.

What's iffier: This isn't a critique but simply a matter of personal desire--I wish the author had spent more time on the different disasters and the responses to them. I grasp why the author didn't (his story is more about his entire career, speaking to the unique challenges and lessons of each disaster; wading into every detail wouldn't have served that overarching goal). That said, I would have liked more info on each of these, just for my personal curiosity.

Note: This review is based on an ARC from Netgalley.

I really hope that this book get the attention it deserves. Honestly, I wish I could give it 10 stars and I'm not just saying that as a homeland security/emergency management grad student. So Robert A. Jensen does the job that none of us think about, he travels to mass fatalities to recover and identify as many human remains or personal belongings as possible to give families answers. Events like tsunamis, earthquakes, plane crashes, hurricanes, terrorist attacks, and even war, are all a part of the experiences that he tells and most are events we've seen in the news. However, this is not just another 'Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?' where we are just getting answers to the questions we don't want to ask. Jensen does go into some of the processes used to make identifications but he reflects deeply on how there's no such thing as "normal" in grief, especially when it comes to mass grief. He also acknowledges how his work influences how he lives his life in a very reflective way. Jensen details the importance of respect to both the dead and the living, while also highlighting the need for respecting how different families and cultures deal with death. Even though it is a morbid topic, I found this book somewhat reassuring and I honestly could just go on and on about how much I enjoyed it. I am not a big memoir/nonfiction fan but this is a book I will not be shutting up about for the foreseeable future. One of the biggest takeaways is how important it is for us to talk about death and that it shouldn't make us uncomfortable. With COVID-19, its lessons have become even more timely as we have to grapple with the extent of loss that has occurred over the past year. Personal Effects is a must read that teaches us a lot about how we recover the dead in almost impossible situations, how we as a society tend to deny the reality of death, and the first steps of healing from these mass fatality situations.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for my ARC.

Robert Jensen takes us into the world of his life's work in an up-close look into what occurs after mass tragedies. His devotion to his career and his care for those left behind are at the heart of this account. It is not a piece of non-fiction to miss!

Personal Effects: What Recovering the Dead Teaches Me About Caring for the Living - Robert A. Jensen ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A huge thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this ARC!

I was absolutely fascinated by this book. The logistics and mental fortitude needed when handling disasters is mind-boggling.

First, the author was extremely respectful to both living and the dead throughout the book. While he did share stories of disasters he’s worked, he did so with the utmost respect to all the parties. Jensen showed a deep understanding of human emotion and none of this book felt exploitative.

Jensen also had a distinctive voice throughout the book. His opinions about bureaucratic red tape and lack of planning was definitely shared. However, he’s the expert, so it never came off like he was pushing an agenda. He just was very honest about the highs and lows of the job.

One of my qualms was that it was repetitive at times. But I guess when you are dealing with disasters like this, the location and type of disaster may be different but the outcomes are the same. There are still dead people and there are still family members needing to know about the dead. So while the repetition was a tad distracting, it also made sense given the subject.

Overall, this was a humbling book about living and dying. The author really expressed a deep respect for human life and death and what that looks like in different cultures. If you’re looking for a great nonfiction read, check this one out in September!

Book Review for Personal Effects
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