Full of life…

Seems a bit of a strange description, really, given the subject of this book, right? Yet it fits. The author took an obsession, which she began as a child, and used her journalistic talents to investigate and find out the truth. Why were the dead and dying a taboo subject? It happens to everyone. Yet it is the one thing we can’t speak directly about until it actually happens to us. And then we aren’t exactly talking, are we…

Instead, this book covers the many people who deal with, manage, and experience the many roads that lead up to that moment. From the people who die naturally, to those who died violently. To those who planned ahead and donated their bodies to science. There were stories that break my heart and those that simply provided interesting factoids. Through it all, the author’s voice provided warmth and humanness to a topic that could simply be morbid. Far from it, this book was entertaining and informative, on a topic that we all (I imagine) think more about as we get older…

Perhaps a primer for those of us creeping slowly closer to the finish line, it raised my eyebrows and my understanding… Recommended for anyone who thinks about death, dying or had any questions about medical school cadavers (that’s in here too!). A top-notch non-fiction read…

I'm not going to lie, All the Living and the Dead isn't going to be for everyone, but in a very real way I really want to say that it is a book (as with the books of Caitlin Doughty) that everyone should read. Death is honestly one of the most hushed conversations in our modern world, particularly for those of us in the west, and it absolutely shouldn't be. There is a genuine need for all of us to confront this looming shadow and truly understand and comprehend its shape in order to process it, in order to grieve, and to truly be aware of the facets of it that give life so much of its weight. Campbell's book is a series of conversations and experiences with those who work in the death care industry as well as herself, an honest expression of the trauma she finds in her journey to understand death and her observations about each facet of how the Dead are treated in the varying points of the process and some of the taboo places many won't go to confront sudden or sentenced death.

All of the chapters are solid in their handling of the subject, but I was particularly struck by those dealing with ABTs and infant death, as much due to my personal understanding of infant loss and her care and personal trauma over confronting it as a woman who hasn't chosen to become a mother herself. I highly recommend this book if you're a person tackling the complexities of death in the many levels of that process and as an exploration of what we do as humans to care for and love the Dead even when their spirit has gone from the body.

The premise of this book was very promising. The execution however fell flat. The best way I can describe it is that the writing was very monotone and I found myself just wanting to skim to hopefully get to something more interesting.

I really enjoyed this book- I think the author brings a unique and much needed view to the world of those who work with the dead. I think Hayley Campbell stands among other titans in the industry, like Catlin Doughty. I look forward to reading more from this author.

I quite enjoyed this exploration of careers/vocations dealing with death. The author interviews an executioner, embalmers, crime scene cleanup crews, grave diggers, a midwife, morticians, etc. She even describes some 'hands on' learning opportunities. It's very interesting to learn how they see/deal with their chosen careers, but it may not be something for the easily squeamish, as she describes some of the scenes in front of her. I felt she ends up presenting an overall positive message. This nurse thinks it a good read, & I recommend it to anyone who likes to learn about other people's jobs, & maybe what made them choose that career!
I received this e-book from publisher St. Martin's Press via NetGalley, in return for reading it & offering my own fair & honest review.

I tend to stick to true crime when it comes to non-fiction picks, but after reading Mary Roach’s book Stiff, I’ve been seeking out non-fiction titles that focus on the complexities of death. Before you think this book sounds like too morbid of a read, know that Campbell’s book is about more than death. There is so much care and compassion throughout this book from both Campbell and those she interviews. I was touched so many times from the first-hand accounts of the interviewees and I learned far more than I ever thought possible from this book. Sure, death is macabre, but it’s also something that we’re all going to face one day, so why not take the time to learn more? I greatly appreciate all of the work that went into this book and highly recommend it!

A huge thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my gifted copy!

I have to admit that I feel a bit weird giving a book all about the details of death five stars. But, I have to. Hayley Campbell has written so carefully and honestly about a topic that most of us fear and made it understandable and eye-opening. I was riveted even though I had to step away from it frequently and read something a bit happier. This is not a book for everyone. I do NOT recommend this to someone suffering from a grave illness, to someone who has just recently lost a loved one, or to someone that has a weak stomach. This book is graphically detailed and it needs to be. What Campbell went through to give us the behind-the-scenes of death is literally life-changing. I won’t ever look at death the same way and I have even come to some conclusions about what I want my own final journey to look like.

“…the first dead body you see should not be someone you love…You need to be able to separate the shock of seeing death from the shock of grief.”
Poppy Mardall, Funeral Director in ALL THE LIVING AND THE DEAD by Haley Campbell

Campbell’s chapters give us information on all parts of death including those who donate their body to science and the process offered by the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. She shares something I knew nothing about, a death mask. There are artists that create masks of people after they die that allow their images to last forever. Some of this book is set in London, where the author lives. So, some of the death and dying rituals she shares are different. In fact, I was shocked that funeral directors in the UK do not need a license as they do here in the US.

One whole chapter is devoted to Kenyon Internation and their work in recovering bodies after disasters. I previously shared about this company in the book, PERSONAL EFFECTS. I found the chapter devoted to the person who “flips the switch” at prison executions quite fascinating. I had never considered the difficulties that prison staff face caring for a prisoner for years only to then be the same person to cause their death.

She interviewed crime scene cleaners and those who come after the horrific events and make them disappear. I was shocked that these companies share pictures on social media for others to view the macabre scenes the staff find upon entering the gruesome scenes.

The heartbreaking chapter of a nurse who works only in a separate maternity ward for mothers who greet and say goodbye to their babies in the space set aside only for them. If only all hospitals had a completely different ward where mothers that came to the hospital knowing they would not be taking their babies home to the beautifully decorated nurseries, where they didn’t have to hear the cries of other babies, and hear joyful families celebrating new siblings or grandbabies. This chapter gutted me and made me grateful to the women who choose to work in this space.

In 2018, I read Caitlin Doughty’s book, SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES in which she shares her experiences as a crematory worker and subsequently how she has changed the idea of death for many people through her website and services. Both Doughty’s book and now Campbell’s description of the embalming process have made me wonder if cremation isn’t the right choice for me. I was surprised that organ donation wasn’t a part of this book. Even if you don’t donate your body to science, you can still choose to donate specific or any and all organs to those living that need them. I am passionate about organ donation and would have been curious about this process.

Many of the people interviewed in the book were doing the good and right thing, even though no one will ever notice or know. There is tender care in death and for all the people who work in this field, there is no question of your heart for others. Campbell’s book is a no-secrets, behind-the-scenes look at all aspects of death and dying. Campbell writes honestly and will leave you questioning how you want your final journey to look.

This was a beautiful book. The concept that you can tell about how cultures treat the living based on how they treat the dead wasn’t one that I was familiar with, but after reading this I see the wisdom behind the philosophy. The compassionate manner with which the author examines tragic things kept this book from being too grim, and I found reading it to be a really cathartic experience.

Thank you so much Netgalley & St. Martin’s Press for the eArc.

I really appreciated all the research and detail Hayley Campbell put into this book. So often our culture shies away from talking about death and what happens to a body after. The only reason it took me so long to finish the book is that I usually spend an hour eating at lunchtime. And this book does not go well with lunch. Outside of that I found this book fascinating.

A natural read after Smoke Gets In Your Eyes. It covers some of the same facts and figures (Campbell even references Doughty), but with more of a UK focus. Very interesting, very philosophical.

About 15 years ago I very deeply debated going to mortuary school. As a child I went to many funerals (which it seems is unusual) and I think having many people die around you gives you an insight into life and death. Death and corpses weren’t and aren’t something to fear. Death is a guarantee. An inevitable. And voiding yourself of seeing the dead perpetuates this fear.

One issue that plagued me was the commodification of death and the expenses of funerals: The pressure of showing your fondness and love through the fanciest body box and the sanitation of our experience of a dead body.

As an always macabre leaning person I felt a real connection to Hayley Campbell's exploration of what happens after death. The many processes of handling and dismantling, identifying and remembering a person after they’ve left their body.

This book casts a wide net, and I think is a great companion piece or introduction into the death positivity movement. It’s harrowing and heartwarming and fascinating. My only suggestion is maybe to not read the chapter on Disaster Victim Identification WHILE on an airplane like I did. 😂

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for providing me with an ARC of this title.

Yesterday I finished reading All the Living and the Dead and I'm still processing it.
It is really remarkable the delicate way and at the same time so clear and open in which the author approaches a topic as delicate as death and people, usually unknown who remain anonymous but who carry out such important and special tasks with respect to those who have died and those who survive them.
In case any reader is held back from reading this book by the subject it deals with, I can assure you that instead of causing you traumas or nightmares, reading this book will give you peace, by revealing the professional and empathetic way in which the "workers of death" do their job, allowing the deceased to preserve their dignity and supporting their relatives in an event that all of us, sooner or later, will have to face.
I thank the author, publishers, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book, and declare that the opinion I have expressed above is based solely on what I think of this book.

Curious about the death care industry, including the responsibilities of funeral home directors, gravediggers, and beyond? Perhaps your experience with death is more intimate and learning about death midwifery or incorporating the arts as a form of remembrance is appealing.

Hayley Campbell, a writer for publications such as Esquire, BuzzFeed, WIRED, McSweeney's, and The Guardian, explores these myriad professions and a remarkable assortment more in All the Living and the Dead: From Embalmers to Executioners, an Exploration of People Who Have Made Death Their Life's Work (St. Martin's Press, 2022). Her childhood fascination with death, doubts about the afterlife prompted during Catholic school, and continuing recognition that we are surrounded by death every day prompted further examination into the varied people who make death their life’s work.

Through chapters dedicated to each specialty, such as crime scene cleaner and crematorium operator, Campbell delves deeply into the far reaches of corpse beautification, location, and preparation.

Readers of Caitlyn Doughty, Mary Roach, Atul Gawande, and Ernest Becker might want to add this book to their collection.

Thank you to Hayley Campbell, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for my eARC.

all the living and the dead is a thought-provoking, insightful look at the death industry and the people who choose to work with the dead—from gravediggers to executioners, embalmers to midwives.

i found this book unexpectedly fascinating in its honesty. as a society, we both fear death and hide it; in the series of interviews campbell conducts, she explores the lives of the select few people who instead choose to make death their livelihood. while her biases are apparent at times, i enjoyed her writing. it’s unflinching without being unkind, and challenges readers to reconsider their views on death and the dead.

Great work of nonfiction exploring the concept of death. It ranges from embalmers, funeral directors, crime scene cleaners, executioners, and even murderers. Campbell meets with professionals within these fields and we get an insight in how it works and how they feel about it, how they got into it, etc. Really interesting and insightful as well. I thought this would be a little triggering for me as I did lose a friend earlier this year however, it was done in a way where I didn’t feel triggered. It’s done in a compassionate way which I really respect.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!

This most unusual book by an investigative journalist with an admitted fascination with death is strangely compelling, if expectedly morbid at times. She talks with people who routinely deal with dead bodies as their daily jobs: undertakers, forensic crews, cremation technicians, gravediggers ...

The behind the scenes anecdotes and routines are quite interesting. Most of us have never thought of the people who deal with mass casualty events or in the most poignant chapter of the book, a midwife who counsels families who have lost a baby.

The comforting thread that runs through the different interviews is that these folks have a regard for the dignity of the deceased and their earthly remains. They are careful to treat the bodies with compassion and respect. This is not a book for the squeamish, but it's oddly fascinating for the rest of us, and somewhat comforting. The author attempts to encourage us to de-mystify death and bodies as a normal part of our existence. She writes well and efficiently. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

good investigation backed up by good writing. endlessly fascinating, horrifying, touching. also made me cry quite a bit (including one instance of heaving sobs), but not always in the places you might think.

campbell's own views are apparent, and this is sometimes additive, lending a personal touch to the topic. on other occasions, it can be subtractive in a frustrating way. there are a few instances where i felt that her own opinions kept her from fully exploring a topic.

in any case, excellent work.

The topic of death is still so taboo in our culture - it's not something most people feel comfortable talking about (and often isn't even approached unless a person is currently grieving a loss). When I was little, my mom worked at a large cemetery/mortuary (she just worked in human resources for the employees), but I feel like death was a little more normalized in my life than for other children. Still, I had no idea how many different aspects there are that make up the death industry and how many death workers there are that the general public knows nothing about.

Hayley Campbell's nonfiction book follows her journey interviewing various death workers - everyone from a crime scene clean-up worker to a funeral home director. Each worker has a unique perspective on their job and what they're able to bring to the families and the dead themselves during their small piece of the death timeline. There were a few chapters that really stuck out to me: the crisis management team member who has worked mass casualty events (and works to identify bodies - or parts of bodies - in events like plane crashes or natural disasters), the executioner who takes on the responsibility of actually enforcing the death penalty, and the bereavement midwife who helps mothers deliver babies who are already dead or who will not survive. These were all jobs that I had never thought about someone having to do before I read this book. There is so much heartache and anguish in these chapters, but also such a dignity and respect that each worker feels for the job they do.

I can't imagine working in some of these positions but Campbell does an incredibly skilled job putting herself in the action so that the reader can picture what it would be like to autopsy a body or to work as a gravedigger. Her fascination with death and her insight into the human condition makes this book both hard to read and absolutely captivating at the same time (and yes, pretty morbid at times). You can tell she put so much of her own pathos and heart into writing this book - and I think each reader will have a richer perspective on the process of death and how it can affect our own viewpoints after they're through. Although this book might not be everyone's cup of tea, I'm so grateful for having read it.

Death need not be scary or macabre.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for my eARC of All The Living And The Dead for review!
Author and journalist Hayley Campbell takes many slants and sides of the "death industry" and profiles them in the chapters of this book.
It's most intriguing.
I always feel a bit morbid when seeking out reads about death and dying, though it rings true when it's said that knowledge lessens fear.
We are taken into everything from embalmers to executioners, pathologists performing autopsies, death mask makers to crime scene cleaners and investigators.
There are so many facets to the inevitable part of life - death and dying - that we may never have considered.
Campbell's writing is descriptive yet respectful, well-researched, intelligent and readable.
The subject matter may not be for everyone, but as an excellent introduction or addition to the topics of death, All The Living And The Dead is a highly recommended read.
Released on Aug. 16.

This book rapidly faces the challenges of death head on with equal parts morbid curiosity, education, and compassion. This book features multiple perspectives of people who work within the death trade: crime scene cleaner, executioner, funeral director, and even a midwife.

The introduction rapidly throws us to the wolves den with the author’s curiosity over death and what happens to us. She addresses her Catholic upbringing (which I experienced as well) and being told that you went somewhere better. But knowing, deeply, that that story, wasn’t the entirety of it. There’s a whole lot of science and bacteria that comes with death.

She talks about Bentham, a philosopher who wanted to be publicly dissected and have his body donated to science.

About how more women are being funeral directors, and how they are bringing more empathy and compassion to the trade.

Thomas Holmes, the father of American embalming.

This book is loaded with fascinating information. It’s VERY well researched.

The issue: I didn’t love it. This is was a serious case of “it’s me, not you.” I felt the disappointment within myself for not loving this one. I mean, I AM morbidly curious….or I was? I’m in a weird place.

The pacing was slow and after about 30% really started to drag for me. I felt like there was some needless rambling and the chapters could have been shorter.

Do I still recommend this? Absolutely!
I think that there is a wealth of information inside this book.

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy!