Customer Reviews

Death to Dust: What Happens to Dead Bodies?

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This book is probably the single most useful reference work I have beside my desk, and one of the few I've read cover to cover. It contains more details than most of us have ever wanted to know about what happens to bodies after death - including funeral practices, the hows and whys of autopsies, the timeline of rigor mortis and decomposition, tales of cannibalism, body snatching and premature burial... it's all in here. Well-written and well-indexed, too. I cannot recommend it too highly.

For most besides the medically-minded, this book will surely fall into the Ooh-Yuck category -- the kind of reference work that tells you volumes of things you didn't know and quite a few that you would probably not have cared to know, but can't forget once you do. Like: Have cadavers historically been used for target practice by weapons manufacturers? You betcha! And have moviemakers ever used cadavers to make their special effects really special? ...

Rest assured, however, that Galen Press (named after the famed Greek physician Galen of Pergamum) and Dr. Iserson have far more profound purposes in mind with the updated edition of this encyclopaedic guide to mortification than inciting ghastly giggles among adolescent boys and presumably mature reviewers. What sets this magnificently researched and dutifully footnoted volume apart from your usual dry-as-dust medical text is its literary sensibility, first noticeable in fourteen artfully titled section heads. I'm Dead -- Now What? covers the definition of death and what usually happens soon afterward; Beauty in Death details the embalming and cosmetic processes of treating cadavers; Souls on Ice takes a detour into the chilly science of cryonics; and Say It Gently anthologizes some sayings, poetry, and epitaphs in honor of the dead. The writing is clear, friendly, and gently humorous throughout, as if the good doctor Iserson were your charming raconteur uncle who just happens to know everything about the dead, and can't wait to tell you. I don?t see how librarians, med students, and mystery and horror writers can live without this one. -- P.MILLER ...

Of the many books on death and dying that I've read over the past six months, Kenneth Iserson's "Death to Dust" is by far the most comprehensive and enjoyable of the bunch. Weighing in at over 800 pages, "Death to Dust" is truly an encyclopedic approach to the subject.

Iserson divides his discussion into fourteen chapters; the shortest is about eleven pages (the introduction), while the longest is a massive 80+ pages (the average chapter length is about 50 pages). He adeptly covers all aspects of death, dying, grief, mourning, and post-mortem activities and concerns. He discusses practical matters, such as how to arrange a funeral, bodily transport across state lines, embalming, funerary rituals and etiquette, cremation, and advance directives. Iserson even includes a helpful, ten-page "Body-disposal Instructions and Discussion Guide," designed to help the living ease the inevitable burden their next of kin will face when they pass away.

However, "Death to Dust" is not simply a consumer guide. Although he does offer a wealth of practical information, he also launches into more esoteric and macabre discussions. Some chapters are certainly not for the faint of heart. If cannibalism, headhunting, corpse dismemberment, grave robbing, anatomical dissection, autopsies, or putrification give you the heebie-jeebies, read with caution! True to its encyclopedic nature, "Death to Dust" takes care to cover ALL aspects of death and dying - particularly the more unpleasant and morbid topics. Iserson approaches these subjects with a dry sense of humor. Although I thought that his witticisms spiced the book up and made his discussion more entertaining, some audiences might be taken aback by Iserson's (sometimes) light tone.

It's obvious that Iserson (or his editor!) spent a lot of time making the book easily navigable (an especially important detail in a book this size!). Each of the fourteen chapters is further sub-divided into lettered subsections (usually 25+ per chapter). The subsections each have their own heading and read like short articles, so that readers can easily browse through the book and skim over desired sections. The index and table of contents are also very detailed. Finally, Iserson has gone to great pains to cite every single reference he consulted while constructing the book - and there are many! The typical chapter has hundreds of footnotes, which are conveniently included at the end of each individual chapter.

For the macabre among us, if you buy just one book on death and dying this year, look no further - "Death to Dust" is it! Those looking to arrange for their own post-mortem plans might find the book helpful as well, although there are consumer guides designed specifically for advising individuals of wills, advance directives, organ donation, and corpse disposal ("Caring for the Dead: Your Final Act of Love," by Lisa Carlson, is an excellent place to start). I'm not sure I'd recommend "Death to Dust" to the newly bereaved, however; some of the subject matter might prove a bit upsetting. On the upside, it's easy to skip over these sections altogether, as the book is very organized.

My only gripe: Iserson included WAY too many quotes from the self-proclaimed "poet-mortician," Thomas Lynch - who, I have determined, is a gawd-awful poet with an exaggerated view of his own self-importance. I literally cringed every time Iserson included excerpts of his amateurish prose - it's just that painful.

All aspects of death and dying are covered here by a pathologist who sees it as his duty to provide for the reading public the reference which has never been available before. The squeamish may find some sections worth skipping, but those who want to understand the biological and cultural realities of Death will want to read every word of this instant classic. If you are going to buy one book covering embalming, burial, cremation, and the legalities of death, make it this one.

To preface, I'm 'only' 30, so it's not like I'm looking to pop off any day now.

Lets be honest, humans do a very serious job of ignoring death and all that it entails. We don't want to see the messy parts, just the gushy greeting card parts where we swear to "never forget," and "always love," the person who is dying. And we certainly do our best to minimize and deny our own mortality. For this reason I think that adults of ever nationality should re-acquaint ourselves with death. Our grandparents were much more familiar with death, dying and the practical aspects thereof(how long can you keep a corpse in the parlor before it really MUST be buried)than we are today. Death has become so 'clean' as to be almost a non-issue.

Having dealt with the death of my own Mom within the past year and half, I can truthfully say it is better to deal with the subject before, than it is during or after. (I first read the book 4yrs ago.)

The personal growth you'll do while reading this book will be of immeasurable value to you. The style in which the book is written keeps the subject from being a gory dramatization of death, and also keeps you from Gothic over sentimentality. There is no better PRACTICAL treatment of so personal an issue on the market. Thank you, Mr. Iverson!

Anyone considering going into the mortuary business should read this book. It will either confirm your choice of occupation or totally put you off the subject. The history of funeral practice was especially interesting. Man has always feared the unknown and death is high on the list. And history shows that humans still have not conquered that fear. This book breaks down what actually happens from your last breath until your body is disposed of, whether it be burial, cremation, autopsies, organ donation or....The glossary is useful and there is even some "gallows humor". All in all, it's worth reading.

This is a great book for writers, as it is very detailed when discussing procedures and people who deal with death everyday - coroners, medical examiners, funeral directors, gravediggers, etc. It also has an extensive index and even photographs of death certificates and such. I had hoped there would be more detail on actual corpses and decomposition (hey -when you need to describe a dead body in a story, this info is crucial!) But to find out the difference between wet and dry rot, drowning victims in cold, or warm climates, etc. you'll need another book. This volume is expensive and a bit of work to track down, but well worth the price, as its about as fascinating a book on death you're likely to find.

As a sociology major dealing in Thanatology (the study of death and dying), I have had to do a great deal of research for articles and presentations. I was given a copy of "Death To Dust" by a professor of sociology when I was preparing a presentation for a symposium I was attending at the time. I was amazed at the wealth of knowledge it contained, and the functional way in which the book was laid out. Anything that anyone could want to know about death and dying is in this book. I would strongly recommend it to professionals and laypersons alike. Mr. Iserson has done an excellent job with his presentations in this book. In it you will find information on body disposal (laws & methods), autopsy procedure, organ donation information, what happens to the body after death, and many other subjects about death. Again, if you are just interested in the subject, or a professional in need of research material - purchase this book. It's a one-of-a-kind reference book!

...yet captivating. This tome outlines everything that happens to dead bodies, from death itself and forensic pathology to a visit to the embalmers. It outlines exactly, medically, what happens to a body upon cremation, natural decomposition and everything in between. Although there is significant medical terminology, it is written in a way that the layperson can understand. It's truly not for the squeamish but if this is your interest, you need to add this to your collection.

I'm not sure what possessed me to purchase this book, with as morbid a subject as the title suggests, but I did. And when it arrived and I started to read it, I was unable to put it down!

This is not a gory book, nor a morbid one. It is enlightening, straight forward, and even easy to read.

Reading this book, one learns about death from a biological point of view. You also find out what really happens with embalmings, cremations, and burials. And you learn about how death has been handled over history. Fascinating stuff.

While some folks might not go out and purposely purchase this book, I guarantee they would pick it up and find it difficult to put down if they found it lying on a table somewhere.

Incredibly enlightening reading on one of the few topics which you rarely get to learn about.

I fully enjoy this book!