Like author Caitlin Doughty, I have always had a thing with death. My interest started late because I didn't even attend my first funeral until I was nearly fourteen. Apparently, my parents thought it best to shelter me from the "scariness" that is death. 
 As a person who sometimes fantasizes about leaving my current profession and going to mortuary school, I found Doughty's book a good mix on insight into the funeral industry, personal belief, and academic explanation. At times the more academic parts seemed out of place until I read further and found the connective threads. My favorite part of Doughty's chapters were her personal interactions with families, her co-workers, and bodies she faced each day. 
 I will say that this book isn't for the squeamish or faint of heart. Some of the descriptions are quite graphic, but I find the purpose in those to hold true with Doughty's belief system-- Americans are afraid to face and accept their own mortality.