Book · 1901 · Economic aspects of Funeral rites and ceremonies
The American way of death
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- people
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- podcasts
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- episodes
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- recommendation
- 1
Jessica Mford's American Way of Death was one just because the way she rips the lid off this great topic and she's so entertaining about it.
The best things said about it
In her book Dodie talks about Jessica mitford's the American way of death a 1963 expose of the funeral industry that became a surprise bestseller.
Stephen Dubner Freakonomics Radio · Sep 2023 In writing the American way of death Jessica mitford wasn't trying to improve our relationship with death.
It was the time of Jessica mitford the the American way of death and you know I mean these were weighty subjects.
4 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
The American Way of Death by Jessica Mitford is a 1963 investigative exposé that sharply criticizes the American funeral industry and became a surprise national bestseller. On The Book Review, Dwight Garner recalled Mitford's work as an early formative reading influence, praising the way she aggressively ripped the lid off the topic while maintaining an entertaining tone. Sam Kashner also mentioned the book on the podcast while discussing the weighty subjects tackled by comedy pioneers Nichols and May during their early careers. On Freakonomics Radio, host Stephen Dubner discussed the classic exposé while comparing it to Caitlin Doughty's modern writings on death. An excerpt from Doughty's book was featured on the episode, noting that when Mitford originally wrote her landmark investigation, she was not necessarily trying to improve society's emotional relationship with mortality, but rather exposing commercial exploitation. Across these discussions, commentators acknowledged the lasting cultural impact of Mitford's investigative journalism, recognizing how her sharp wit and relentless questioning permanently transformed public discourse surrounding an industry that most people preferred to ignore, establishing a bold precedent for future writers tackling grim and uncomfortable institutional subjects.
Every mention
Dwight Garner Jessica Mford's American Way of Death was one just because the way she rips the lid off this great topic an… 1
“Jessica Mford's American Way of Death was one just because the way she rips the lid off this great topic and she's so entertaining about it.”
Caitlin Doughty in writing the American way of death Jessica mitford wasn't trying to improve our relationship with death 1
“in writing the American way of death Jessica mitford wasn't trying to improve our relationship with death”
Sam Kashner it was the time of Jessica mitford the the American way of death and you know I mean these were weighty sub… 1
“it was the time of Jessica mitford the the American way of death and you know I mean these were weighty subjects”
Stephen Dubner in her book Dodie talks about Jessica mitford's the American way of death a 1963 expose of the funeral indu… 1
“in her book Dodie talks about Jessica mitford's the American way of death a 1963 expose of the funeral industry that became a surprise bestseller”
Other mentions (2: passing, ad reads, own books)
“And she's she becomes a major leftist activist and she wrote the American Way of Death. And she just was a fascinating sizzling creature.”
“she was the sort of the Pinko mitford and wrote the American way of death”