Summary

In Caitlin Doughty's captivating memoir, "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," she recounts her transformative journey into the death industry. Starting as a crematory operator at Westwind Cremation & Burial in Oakland, California, Doughty navigates the morbid, humorous, and often challenging realities of handling corpses, interacting with grieving families, and confronting societal taboos surrounding death. Doughty's narrative blends personal anecdotes with historical and cultural insights, exploring diverse practices like mortuary cannibalism among the Wari' people and the elaborate rituals of Japanese bone gathering. She also details her progression through mortuary school, exposing the often sanitized and commercialized approaches to death within the industry.

Doughty's candid experiences challenge readers to confront their own mortality, exploring how our fear of death impacts our actions and shapes our perceptions of life. Her time at Westwind is marked by surreal encounters, from shaving corpses to dealing with the emotional complexities of infant deaths. She grapples with the ethical dilemmas of her profession, including the detached handling of bodies and the industry's focus on preserving an artificial image of death rather than confronting the reality of decomposition.

As Doughty gains experience, she begins to question the industry's emphasis on sanitized rituals and the denial of death. She envisions an alternative approach, where families reclaim the process of caring for their dead and rituals are centered on acknowledging the natural process of decay. Doughty recounts her interactions with mentors and colleagues, highlighting the philosophical and ethical dimensions of handling human remains and providing insights into the challenges and unexpected rewards of her chosen path.

Throughout her journey, Doughty's relationship with death evolves. From initial fear and awkwardness to a confident mastery of her role, she emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and engaging with death as a natural part of life. She explores different approaches to ritual, advocating for more open, personal interactions with the dead and encouraging readers to challenge conventional practices that mask the reality of mortality. Her candid reflections and irreverent humor make "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" a unique and insightful exploration of death's profound impact on life.