Smoke Gets in Your Eyes is often thought-provoking and interesting, but it annoyed me at times. The author is judgmental about how other people choose to grieve the loss of their loved ones, and seems a bit full of herself throughout the book. ( )

A good, albeit morbid memoir of Doughy's early life in the mortuary business. Its a good mix of her experiences intercut with the history of the business. If you've every seen the Ask a Mortician channel on Youtube, you've seen the author. A good read if you're curious about the subject ( )

The author does a great job reconstructing the world around her job as a cremation operator (something like that). And through this lens examines the commercial filters on the mainstream death industry.

Philosophical in a simple way. ( )

As a lover of Mary Roach’s books, I double-loved this book, which is written by an industry worker, not just an author doing research. An ultimately life-affirming piece of work. ( )

I've been familiar with Caitlin's work for years, first through her YouTube videos and more recently through her books. I read (and loved) FROM HERE TO ETERNITY and WILL MY CAT EAT MY EYEBALLS? but I hadn't gotten around to her debut--until now. I'm so glad I finally read this. Her openness in sharing her coming-of-age journey in such an unconventional setting is both courageous and inspiring.

Caitlin peels back the curtain on the death industry, revealing its often gritty, sometimes humorous, and always very human aspects. The dissection of societal attitudes towards death, coupled with personal anecdotes, made me reflect on my own perceptions and the collective discomfort our society harbors towards death and dying.

The book isn't just about Caitlin's experiences; it's a mirror reflecting our societal attitudes laced with humor and poignant observations. Caitlin’s passion for demystifying what happens to our physical bodies post-mortem is palpable throughout the book. Her fearless confrontation of a topic many shy away from is both admirable and thought-provoking.

Moreover, Caitlin's writing style is wonderful! The book is a harmonious blend of memoir, exposé of the funeral industry, and a manifesto advocating for an honest interaction with death. The well-researched content, coupled with humorous anecdotes, made the narrative lively and enriching.

This isn’t just another book; it’s an invitation to a conversation long overdue. ( )