Dying to Meet You

Growing up with a hardworking undertaker father known as the Coffin King, death was the family business for Angjolie Mei - but that didn't make it any easier to understand, or grief any easier to feel. When her father died unexpectedly, leaving debts but no end of life instructions, Mei found herself taking up his funeral director business, not only to provide for her family, but to help others see death as an opportunity for dignity and celebration. 'A funeral,' she writes, 'is life's graduation ceremony,' and we should honor it and plan for it accordingly. Striving to shift cultural perspectives on death and grief as well as to address common questions too often shrouded in mystery and taboo, Mei shares her craft's most important lessons with wit and grace, from the process of embalming to helping children understand a loved one's passing, taking care to include customs from diverse religious and cultural traditions. This candid and thoughtful glimpse behind the morgue's curtain affirms the importance of grieving and ritual, acknowledging that death is part of any life well-lived.