The Perfect Stranger's Guide to Funerals and Grieving Practices: A Guide to Etiquette in Other People's Religious Ceremonies [Paperback]

Stuart M. Matlins (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2000

The help you need to do the right thing in a difficult situation

Grieving the loss of a loved one, friend or colleague is an important process--one that can be made unnecessarily awkward if you’re not familiar with the religious tradition in which the grieving takes place, and end up feeling uncertain about how to behave. You want to be sure that you know what to do and what to expect. There’s no need to enter an unfamiliar atmosphere unprepared, wondering:

Are flowers appropriate? Is there anything I need to avoid doing or saying? What does this faith believe about death? What should I wear? What is the appropriate behavior if viewing the body?

The Perfect Stranger’s Guide to Funerals and Grieving Practices helps to solve these mysteries and many more, telling you everything you need to know to avoid embarrassment, express your condolences in an appropriate way, and do the right thing in a difficult situation.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

The handbook for how to respond in an appropriate way when someone dies—no matter what their faith or denomination

Few of us are ever prepared for the loss of a relative, friend or colleague. This stressful situation can be made worse if we are unfamiliar with the practices and rituals of the deceased person’s religious tradition.

This complete guide provides all the answers you need to express your condolences and show your respect in the appropriate way regardless of the religious tradition involved, addressing many common concerns, including:

Will there be a ceremony—what will it be like, and how long will it last? What should I wear? What should I avoid doing, wearing, saying? Are flowers appropriate? What is the appropriate behavior if viewing the body?

These are just a few of the basic, very practical questions answered in this unique etiquette guide covering all the major (and many minor) denominations and religions found in North America—from Hindu to Presbyterian, from Mennonite to Sikh—helping you to do the right thing in a difficult situation.

About the Author

Stuart M. Matlins is publisher and editor-in-chief of SkyLight Paths and co-editor of How to Be a Perfect Stranger: A Guide to Etiquette in Other People’s Religious Ceremonies

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Skylight Paths Publishing (September 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1893361209
• ISBN-13: 978-1893361201
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,153,006 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Help to navigate the cultural and religious maze at death, April 11, 2001

By 

[e-mail] - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Perfect Stranger's Guide to Funerals and Grieving Practices: A Guide to Etiquette in Other People's Religious Ceremonies (Paperback)

In 38 brief chapters, the editor profiles major (and minor) religious groups across North America. He includes the biggies like Baptists, Catholics, and Jews, of course, but he also includes the lesser-known groups like Hindu, Christian Science, Jehovah's Witness, and Bahai.

Each chapter introduces the reader to the history and belief system of the group and then details funeral ceremony practices, burial or cremation rites, ideas about appropriate dress, gifts, and flowers, and suggestions for caring for the bereaved family during and after the funeral. I've seen most of the books on funeral customs in different religious groups. This is a real gem--and the best book like it on the market!