“Show me the manner in which a nation cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical exactness the tender mercies of its people, their respect for the laws of the land, and their loyalty to high ideals.” - William Gladstone, UK Prime Minister during the 19th Century.

Gladstone's quote sums up what I feel Campbell accomplished in the book. She showed not only the mechanisms of those in the mortuary and related fields but also their narratives, the thoughts they have on why they do the work, and how it has shaped their thinking.

Writing during the pandemic and reading it years after the lockdowns and the days of triple-digit daily deaths, I'm walking away from this book thinking about my perspectives, feelings, and attitudes. When I see a disaster on the news, I'll think of the people from Kenyon who come in to assist in the aftermath or the grief midwives who support and stand by families who have lost a child. For at the end of the day - or our lives - we seek only to be treated with dignity, respect, and compassion.