Say what you want about me, but I like learning about dead people. I loved Mary Roach’s book “Stiff” and the HBO television series “Six Feet Under” is my favorite show of all time. I’m fascinated by what happens to us when we die, as morbid as a topic as that might be. That being said, I also like some gossipy, Park Ave type books. The kind that talk about the who’s who of Manhattan, which celebrities are toting the most expensive handbag, and who’s behaving badly. “Good Mourning” by Elizabeth Meyer is basically a weird, surprisingly fun mix of those two things.
Elizabeth Meyer grew up very wealthy on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, friends with a lot of celebrities and socialites. She went to prestigious schools and spent time interning for design and PR firms in New York City. All while balancing a very full social life of hitting up the hottest clubs until dawn. So after her entertainment lawyer father dies from cancer, everyone was a little shocked to learn that she felt driven to join the funeral business. Meyer believed that her particular pedigree would be helpful to the high-end funeral home where her father had been taken care of, so she goes begging for a job. Though surprised by her interest, the funeral director agrees that her social connections and event planning experience just might be an asset to the company and he hires her on the spot, much to the dismay of Meyer’s mother and grandmother. Thus begins the story of her bumpy experience in the death industry.
“Good Mourning” is part funeral home stories, part socialite Manhattan, and part memoir of learning to come to grips with our mortality. I wouldn’t say it goes into too much depth in any of those topics, but I enjoyed reading it. A very quick, fun (if you’re weird) read for people wanting a break from fiction without feeling like they’re reading a textbook. If you’re looking for something more in depth about the business of dead people, go for “Stiff,” and if you’re looking for something more gossipy, pick almost any celebrity memoir. But if you like both those topics and don’t need major details either way, this is a good choice.
You can put “Good Mourning” on hold in our catalog right now. If you have to wait, be sure to check out “You Might Also Like These…” at the bottom of the book’s catalog page.
