Making an Exit From the Magnificent to the Macabre---How We Dignify the Dead [Paperback]

Not only a fascinating travelogue but also a personal meditation on loss and fate...There is a wealth to discover within these pages. The Economist
Journalist Sarah Murray never gave much thought to what might ultimately happen to her remainsuntil her father died. Puzzled by the choices he made about the disposal of his organic matter, she embarks on a series of journeys to discover how death is commemorated in different cultures. Her travels lead her to discover everything from a Czech chandelier of human bones and a weeping ceremony in Iran to a Philippine village where the casketed dead hang in caves.
Fascinating, poignant, and often funny,Making an Exitis Murray's exploration of the ways in which we seek to dignify the deadand a deeply personal quest for a final send-off of her own.

1. In her introduction, the author recalls her father's attitude toward death and dying. Have you ever discussed the topic with friends or family, and if so, what are their various attitudes toward their own deaths? How did the conversation arise and was it a difficult one to broach?

2. The book examines the way we dignify the dead across different cultures. What do you think are the most striking differences between the ways the dead are honored and celebrated around the world? Which two practices do you think provide the biggest contrast?

3. From dancing and feasting to public weeping and wailing, death rites around the world may look very different, but there are also several common threads to these ceremonies and practices. What do you see as the strongest elements linking them all?

4. How do you think that traditional death rites help the bereaved work through their grief? In today's society, where many of these traditions have been lost, which kinds of rituals could we revive or recreate to help people deal with loss?

5. In Chapter 3, Packing for Eternity, the author describes Terror Management Theory, which posits lÃ9