I just got a book from the library called, "Curtains: Adventures of an Undertaker-in-Training", written by Tom Jokinen. I'm enjoying it so far. He writes in a humorous manner and I always like that in a book.
I like the opening which has a quotation by Jean Teule:
"Has your life been a failure?
Let's make your death a success!"
One of the chapters is entitled: "Love Your Hair. Who's Your Embalmer?"
One of the first rules he learned:
"Never stop for food on the way back to the funeral home when you are "carrying" (a dead body), not even at a drive-thru. It's bad for the brand and is apt to put other drive-thruers off their doughnuts."
They use collapsible stretchers to carry the body from the hospital to the funeral home. They can be quite tricky and sometimes the body can fall off on the way into the hearse. The author was quite worried about this part of the job. He writes:
"My track record with mechanical objects is spotty. Once while trying to fix a bicycle chain, I got a knot in it - which a mechanic told me was impossible until he was it."
Yes, these are the kind of books I read instead of "East of Eden" like Crystal the Pistol and Shelly: La Tejana. They say it is wonderful. I did see the movie when I was in my twenties, but all I remember is two brothers fighting a lot and James Dean sticking his head out of a train window. But I am going to get "East of Eden" and read it for sure! I doubt the ladies at Crystal's book club would like "Curtains".
Actually, I've read a lot of deep books over the years, but I'm old now and just want to laugh my way to the grave. (This is me trying to look smarter.)
The last book I read was called, "Made to Crave: God not Food." It came highly recommended by people who like to suffer. (If one of you recommended it, I'm sorry :)
The lady who wrote it is a nice lady, but I am not going to go into my closet and cry and sob over food until the feeling passes. Nope. That is definitely NOT me. If I'm going to suffer, it will be for God, Country or my Family. Nothing else. I don't like suffering. It is not on my bucket list.
I don't mean to disparage this book. They say it has helped lots of people and I'm glad. It might help you, but I doubt it.
