How to Die in the 21st Century

The most comforting book about death you'll ever read. Talking about death won't kill you. Yet in today's world, death remains one of our greatest taboos. As religion declines and rituals fade, we are left without guidance for one of life's only certainties. This book is your handbook for death in the 21st century - a compassionate, practical and surprisingly hopeful guide to understanding mortality. From cremation to green burials, from grieving a pet to navigating tricky memorial etiquette, anthropologist and death scholar Hannah Gould answers the questions most of us are too afraid to ask: - Do I really get my loved one's ashes back from the crematorium? - Can I turn into a tree when I die? - How do I talk to my parents about end-of-life planning? - Should I attend my ex's dad's funeral? - Will I ever stop crying over my dog? As we enter an era of 'peak death', this book challenges us to stop avoiding the inevitable and instead embrace it as part of a good life. Honest, witty and deeply reassuring, Gould invites readers to confront mortality not with fear, but with curiosity and courage. If you have ever wondered about alternative funerals, modern grief, sustainable burial options or simply how to begin the conversation about death, this is the book you've been waiting for. 'For a vibrant, full-of-life woman Hannah Gould makes death and dying sound fascinating - if not fun. Her wit and wisdom are intoxicating ... and make you think.' - Ray Martin, journalist and host of The Last Goodbye 'Brilliantly insightful and deeply humane. This book is a much-needed call to open up conversations we've too long avoided about mortality and meaning.' - Sally Douglas and Imogen Carn, co-hosts of the Good Mourning podcast 'Dr Hannah Gould's How to Die in the 21st Century is an indispensable book for anyone who thinks they might die one day, which is everyone. By going through the tips and suggestions presented in these pages, the reality of death will definitely become less daunting for every single mortal living amongst us.' - Dr John Troyer, author of Technologies of the Human Corpse 'Hannah strikes the perfect balance between personal, factual and funny. You will live better after reading this book.' - Annie Louey, comedian and celebrant 'From Barbie to Becker, Hannah Gould bridges the gap between academic death scholarship and everyday experience. This book should inspire provocative - and necessary - conversations.' - Caitlin Doughty, author of Smoke Gets in Your Eyes 'A current of curiosity and reverence runs through every one of Hannah's sentences and this encourages us to apply the same in contemplating the rugged terrain of death. Seamlessly blending scholarship, narrative warmth and razor-sharp emotional insight, How to Die in the 21st Century is a book for our times. Hannah gives us the near-impossible: a lucid and accessible read on a subject that - for the most part - is neither.' - Katia Ariel, author of Ferryman: The Life and Deathwork of Ephraim Finch