by Chrystal Mahan

Created on: December 14, 2010   Last Updated: December 15, 2010

I can’t quite imagine the child that thought to him orherself hmmmmm “I want to be a mortician when I grow up!” It makes me wonder what sort of childhood they had. It would seem that those who have a father in the business end up taking over the family business. I can see how they get in to it, but what about those that aren’t connected by any family member?

These are the things that intrigued me when I decided to read Mortuary Confidential. I wanted to get inside someone’s head and learn some answers. First, let me just say – I do not, I repeat, I do not have an obsession with death. What I am, however, is intrigued by those that are different and perhaps do not follow the norm.

Each “chapter” is really a story. And each story is told by a different mortician.  Although death is really no laughing matter, each story is put into the perspective of the teller in a manner that would not disrespect anyone reading as well as the person the story is about.

The book is full of firsthand accounts of the day in the life of a mortician. Things do happen: the odd, unusual, scary, sad, funny and uplifting.  A couple are sure to  make you stop and think, there are those that will make  you giggle, and even those that will make you shed a tear.

There are stories of those in small towns who awake to find their loved one dead next to them. The author writes of the story as it was told, how the person called the mortician in the middle of the night for help. Had no idea who to call and the mortician went above his call of duty by even taking care of the family pet that had passed away right before the funeral.

Morticians are only human, we all make mistakes. There were cases of bodies falling out of the hearse after a pickup, mix up at a hospital morgue, odd makeup and clothing requests.

It is amazing to me how wonderful and kind the human spirit can be. Although one deceased's son was irate and picking fights with the mortician over something so minimal, the mortician still took the time to smile, be understanding and continue his job. It is hard to be professional when people are screaming and yelling, but there are those that can keep it together.

Despite the odd subject manner of this book, it really is enlightening to see the other side and what it’s like as a mortician. 

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