The High Cost of Dying: A Guide to Funeral Planning [Paperback]

Gregory W. Young (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1994

This volume offers a comprehensive overview of the funeral home business and provides valuable inside information needed by thoughtful consumers, legal advisors, trust officers, and even clergy - all those who must confront the hard, practical questions that surround one of life's most trying and emotion-filled experiences.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Families of the deceased face not only the grief that accompanies their loss but the prospect of arranging the funeral. Unfortunately, dishonest practices exist, and some funeral directors may take advantage of grief-stricken relatives. Young, who aims to provide "a helpful consumer's guide to arranging a funeral while at the same time avoiding unnecessary charges," discussses working with the funeral director, working out a contract, avoiding ripoffs, and planning a prearranged funeral. Also provided are answers to frequently asked questions, a resource bibliography, and Federal Trade Commission Regulation Rules. Young, a former director of a funeral home chain, sensitively and clearly offers practical guidelines and presents an overview of the funeral service industry. Recommended for public library collections.
Lucy Heckman, St. John's Univ. Lib., New York
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Although, as Young notes, it is "not something most of us would normally choose to read up on in our spare time," a funeral is a costly package of services many will have to purchase at least once. Young is well qualified to guide those in need of funeral services, for during his career as a funeral director, he assisted authorities in rooting out unscrupulous practitioners, and he undercut the prevailing market price of cremation services. He first considers the "funeral as a consumer issue," then presents a history of funerals and the funeral director and proceeds to the services, sales tactics, and rip-offs common in the business. The chapter "Frequently Asked Questions" and the bibliography are particularly informative; the former covers common concerns such as why funerals cost so much and what the terms in an itemized funeral bill mean, while the latter lists resources on grieving and funeral rites. Addresses of organizations providing postfuneral help, funeral service complaint procedures, and information on anatomical gifts also appear. Excellent counsel on an important though unhappy topic most people deal with sooner or later. Mike Tribby --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 142 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books (January 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879758740
• ISBN-13: 978-0879758745
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,383,070 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative and helpful, March 30, 2011

By 

BG (Bronx, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The High Cost of Dying: A Guide to Funeral Planning (Hardcover)

This book is extremely helpful in making informed decisions and choices when deciding how to go about with funeral arrangements.
Book even includes a brief history on funeral directors' start, and photos of casket choices and funeral homes (then and now).
There's also an example of what the invoice/bill may look like and lists of all things involved with the process.
Young opens your eyes to possible extras that may show up on a funeral invoice, what you really need, don't need, or may want, and how some in the industry try to game folks in their most emotionally vulnerable moments, while maintaning that there are only few bad apples within the industry.
A true eye opener and a must read for everyone, in my honest opinion.
Don't wait until you have death upon you and your family to do this research!
Love the way the book was written as well. Congratulations Young.

4.0 out of 5 stars Funeral Advice, December 23, 2010

By 

Angela Hill "hill21214" (Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The High Cost of Dying: A Guide to Funeral Planning (Hardcover)

I found the book very informative in planning a family member's funeral. I liked that the reading was easy and have shared the book with my cousin.

5.0 out of 5 stars Valuable advice, July 8, 2009

By 

Cornelia Sellitto "Connie" (Spring Lake, NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The High Cost of Dying: A Guide to Funeral Planning (Hardcover)

This book gives the consumer a great insight into the world of funeral planning, costs, and options. Highly recommend to anyone who wishes to make informed choices about a relative's funeral or in planning ahead for one's own. Mr. Young obviously knows whereof he writes, and isn't afraid to expose some of the less-than-helpful tactics of others in the funeral business.