46 pages • 1 hour read
Caitlin DoughtySmoke Gets in Your Eyes & Other Lessons from the Crematory
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2013A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes & Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty is a memoir chronicling Doughty's first six years in the funeral industry, starting as a crematory operator in San Francisco at 23. It explores her personal journey of death acceptance, critiques North America's death denial culture, and examines various funerary customs, ultimately advocating for more honest conversations about death. The book contains graphic descriptions of dead bodies, cremation, decomposition, and various forms of death.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes & Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty offers a candid, thought-provoking look into the funeral industry. Readers praise Doughty's dark humor, empathetic storytelling, and insightful reflections on mortality. Some find the content morbid or unsettling, but most commend the book's unique perspective and contemplative depth.
Who Should Read Smoke Gets in Your Eyes & Other Lessons from the Crematory?
A reader who enjoys Smoke Gets in Your Eyes & Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty is likely fascinated by death and mortality, with a taste for dark humor and candid narratives. Fans of Mary Roach's Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers or Jessica Mitford's The American Way of Death will find this book captivating.