From Here to Eternity is the second book by Caitlin Doughty where she travels the world to find the good death and what a good death means in different cultures. As a mortician Doughty uses her want to educate the public about the death industry and death care to show case how other cultures practice death care and mourning. The book takes the reader from rural Indonesia, to the a glowing-Buddha columbarium in Japan, and locations in America, among many others.
As I’ve mentioned before when discussing Doughty’s books death is not an easy topic to talk or write about and it feels a little weird to say I enjoyed reading a book about death. However, Doughty never intends to cause the reader shock or horror just to tell the truth and showcase the reality of death. From Here to Eternity takes the reader all across the United States and the world to show different death practices and the cultures that have these death practices. Much of the world has not removed its self from death and death care as much as the United States has and maybe those of us in the West could learn something from other death practices.
Overall, From Here to Eternity is a great book for those interested in death practices from across the world or those who have read other works about the death industry. Those who have read Doughty’s other book Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and her Ask A Mortician series on YouTube will find the same candid information and morbid humor. I give From Here to Eternity 4 out of 5 stars.