Customer Reviews

Grave Expectations: Planning The End Like There's No Tomorrow

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

There is too much writing required in this book, for the person who wants to plan their funeral.There are many cute facts about funerals written on the white background in the margin of this book.They are simply interesting things about funerals that have nothing to do with planning one's funeral.

This work has several pages that warn you about Funeral Directors, but gives no concrete advice on how to deal with the sales professionals you will negotiate your funeral contract with. There is no real advice beyond "Don't let anyone push you around or embarrass you. Go to the internet and check out all the options you have choose from"(page 53). This is poor advice as the places to plan your funeral online are too numerous to count.Some are very good and others not so good. A little guidance on this would have been helpful.

There ARE NO WORDS in the book on how to deal with funeral pre need or prepaying for a funeral, which is how many folks deal with a funeral in North America. Many folks have been taken and lost money in preneed funeral schemes. Not to mention the Prepaid Funeral and the pitfalls involved makes this work inadequate.

In Chapter 10 the idea of A Funeral Rehearsal dinner that one attends before one's death is a very creative idea, and thoughtful. But in many death circumstances(sudden death,long hospitalization) it is not at all possible.

The book offers some falsehoods when looking for an urn on line. On Page 96 the authors state that the International Cemetery and Funeral Association and the National Funeral Directors Association police online establishments that sell funeral goods and services..(Page 96) The sad truth is that these organizations simply are not setup to do this. They do not even police their own members, and could not even if they wanted to. The fact that the authors allowed that to be printed indicates a lack of understanding about funerals and the funeral business.

There is much more that can be said about this book.One star because it is an incomplete and too tedious(too much writing) exercise in planning your funeral.

This book sheds entertaining and informative light on a subject that we all have to face at some point - the end of our lives. It was really thought provoking and made me think about all the different options there are in planning for the end. Who knew there were so many choices? The writers keep it really lively and funny, with tidbits about how different cultures deal with death and planning the end. It's a great read and is an easy way to start a dialogue with a loved one about the inevitable end. The interactive features of the book are helpful too. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

This was interesting and approached the subject with humor, but I found I needed something with a more serious approach (not deadly) but a little more serious. This is for the younger crowd or those less formal.

The titles are marked well and it's easy to read. I found myself going to the section I needed and thumbed through the rest. If you are interested in a serious discussion, I would continue looking.

Could there be such a thing; a book that actually makes dying and the means in which you do it, as normal and fearless of an event as planning a dinner party? I found this book to be very informative and thought provoking as well as funny. Not the kind of book that you would expect to enjoy, but you will!

It is clear from the first page of "Grave Expectations" that Sue and Carmen have a rare, and comforting, depth of understanding about the end of life as we know it. Shaped by their own personal experiences and meticulous research, they offer a philosophy that the style of one's final exit from this mortal coil is within our control. Their exploration of the subject of human dying and how to prepare for it is both sympathetic and irreverant. The book is a kick to read, filled with practical advice presented matter-of-factly, but with lots of encouragement to make your funeral as personal and individual as you are. It gives you permission to think completely about yourself, for once in your life. Who hasn't yearned for that? The fill-in-the-blank pages are designed to lead the user to a deeper understanding of themselves as well as introducing that person more completely those who will be left behind. The pace of the book is lively, between the sparkling text, the interactive sections, and the fascinating little sidebars on different aspects of funeral practices around the world. This reader found herself planning "rehearsal"parties, as suggested by the authors, for her two book clubs, during which each member would be encouraged to work the book for themselves. The greatest achievement of "Grave Expectations" is that it convinces the reader that planning her/his own funeral and/or memorial service is an incredible kindness to those closest to them, who will otherwise be stuck with making decisions on the fly, when they are least able to think clearly.

A wonderful read of a very serious subject. The authors have approached a subject that most of us would rather ignore and have rendered a page-turning highly entertaining book, while at the same time giving us a highly doable plan for setting our own house in order. Trust me, your family will truly appreciate your using this book to help them understand exactly what you want before and after you depart this world. You will laugh out loud many times while reading this book, but you will also pause for reflection many times. Enjoy yourself!

I bought this book a while ago, and have dipped in and out of it over time. I finally read it cover to cover this summer: why did I wait so long! Bailey and Flowers strike a remarkable balance between the sad reality of dying and death that so many of us do not want to face and the love and joy of celebrating life. This book has helped me think about death differently, and it is, I think, invaluable as a way to help loved ones who don't want to face their death to open up and start to express their wishes, their feelings, their hopes and fears, AND laugh at the same time. The 'fun facts' are illuminating and delightful. The many ways one can deal with a dead body are truly amazing--and thank goodness for green funeral practices! Last, I very much appreciate and laud the fact that this book helps you negotiate ones loved one's, and ones own, death without having to buy into--and pay a fortune to--the funeral home industry. An inspiring book.

I know this is going to sound strange since the book is about planning my funeral, but I could hardly put it down once I began reading. There was so much I learned which I plan on using (hopefully at a later date). "Grave Expectations" was not only informative, it was screaming funny in spots. I was in a quandry concerning which book to order, but I know I made the right decision. Have also shared it with friends.

I decided a long time ago I did not want a traditional funeral service. None of that somber, morbid stuff. I'm planning a party, a fiesta, with lots of Southern food, decorations, and friends. In fact, I've already started my party collection in a Rubbermaid tub. All my kids have to do is open the tub, and everything they ever wanted to know about my final wishes, wills, insurance policies, photos,etc. will be inside. How easy is that?

PS You're all invited!

makeovers for the dead?? embalming??? open casket viewings????!! leave it to the United States to reduce one of the most important and personal aspects of human life to a labyrinth of legal red tape, grotesque and dehumanizing practices, and good ole commercialism. the funeral industry needs to GO; along with the nuclear energy industry, frankenfood, and-- oh, boy; this list is WAY too long for here... but this book is a very witty and enjoyable take on coping with the realities of dealing with death, and taking back the choices that that we've handed over to a bizarre and ghoulish industry for way too long. there are refreshing and inspiring ideas here, along with information on alternative approaches. since everyone will deal with this at some point, everyone should be reading this book!

Grave Expections by Carmen Flowers and Sue Bailey is something of an event planner for one's own dying and death. These women use a sense of humor to tackle the not-funny topic of dying and all the arrangements and technicalities that must be faced. By giving examples of situations that will be confronted and explaing strategies for dealing with them, Bailey and Flowers walk readers through the ands, buts, and what-ifs we and our families should know before D-day. This is a great little guide book for reducing fear and easing emotional and, often, financial stress that comes with the inevitable end of life. Grave Expectations helps its readers prepare to face death and after-death arrangements with a tool-kit of savvy - and sometimes even funny - insights.