Fueled by a childhood fascination with death and dying, journalist Hayley Campbell interviews people who make a living by working with the dead.

From homicide detectives to embalmers to gravediggers and more, she weaves reportage with memoir, history, and philosophy to offer glimpses into their lives and to discuss the very particular and peculiar ways that Western culture confronts (or fails to confront) life’s inevitable conclusion.

The book is more interesting (and less morbid) than it sounds.

Read it and come talk about it.