The American Way of Death Revisited by Jessica Mitford, Virago, 拢16.99,
ISBN 1860495885
MY late father wanted to donate his body to science. Unfortunately, by the
time medicine had finished with it, science didn鈥檛 want it. Ever thorough, he
had a second preference, for the simplest possible disposal.
Funeral director: 鈥� You insist on cremation?鈥� 鈥淭hat was his wish.鈥� 鈥淎nd a
cardboard casket?鈥� 鈥淭hat was his wish.鈥� 鈥淏ut wouldn鈥檛 the family like a
viewing?鈥� 鈥淣o.鈥� 鈥淏ut then how can you be sure that you are, um, cremating the
right remains?鈥� 鈥淲e鈥檒l maybe hire a philosopher on that.鈥� 鈥淒on鈥檛 you want to
ensure that, er, it is done promptly (and spend just a little more)?鈥� 鈥淗e鈥檚 in
no hurry.鈥�
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Have you ever heard an undertaker curse?
In 1963, Jessica Mitford chronicled the even more exploitative American
funeral industry. She pointed out, with trademark dry macabre wit, the utterly
bizarre ceremonies which are the outcomes of its marketing鈥攕uch as the
incineration of expensively embalmed corpses in expensive metal pressure-cooker
coffins. (Which translates as 鈥渢he calcination of hygienically-treated remains
of the loved ones in bronze sealer caskets鈥�.)
She died in 1996, as McDeath was arriving in Britain in the shape of
SCI鈥� Service Corporation International鈥攊ntent on raising
expenditures on our final parties closer to the respectable level of $20
000, bronze sealer included.
The American Way of Death Revisited is thus, most appropriately,
published posthumously. Everyone who expects to die, or is related to someone
who may do so, should read it now. And may your corpse, and theirs, be fit for
and appreciated by medical students.