Today I'm sharing the best book I read in August.
Of the 10 books I read this month, I had only one 5-star read, so that's my Best of the Bunch!
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and Other Lessons from the Crematory was a fascinating and worthwhile read, narrated in an engaging and entertaining way by the author on audiobook. Doughty dives into the day-to-day tasks involved in working in a crematory and other areas of the death industry, as well as providing a good bit of history of death-related practices in both the United States and elsewhere. The entire book is written in an irreverent, humorous tone (another good reason to experience it on audio), which made it go by very fast even as it was engaging with heavy topics. Doughty says upfront that she isn't going to shy away from the realities of what bodies do after death, but even as a sensitive reader I didn't find it too difficult to read because she doesn't intentionally dwell on any details to try to paint a gory picture for you. And dealing with death matter-of-factly is kind of Doughty's whole thing, trying to normalize for readers the reality that we will all die and have bodies that need to be dealt with. Whether the idea of death terrifies you or fascinates you, I think this book is worth the read.
What is the best book you read this month? Let me know in comments, or write your own post and link up below!
Looking back:
One year ago I was reading:
The Sun Is Also a Star,
Womanist Midrash, and
Strange the Dreamer
Five years ago I was reading:
Infinite Jest and
Taken at the Flood
Ten years ago I was reading:
The Art of Racing in the Rain
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