"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 remains--until 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 Exit is Murray's exploration of the ways in which we seek to dignify the dead--and a deeply personal quest for a final send-off of her own.
Industry Reviews
"An "Eat, Pray, Love"for the afterlife...Murray tackles an uncomfortable subject with sensitivity, humor, and great insight."---"The Washington Post""Not only a fascinating travelogue but also a personal meditation on loss and fate. Ms. Murray excels in the role of intrepid tour guide....There is a wealth to discover within these pages."---"The Economist""Murray writes with great tenderness and wit about death and its aftermath"---Audrey Niffenegger, author of "The Time Traveler's Wife""Brilliant...I was transfixed by this oddly life-enhancing book."---"The Daily Mail "(London)"Difficult to put down. In less capable hands the subject matter might be morbid or disturbing, but with Murray at the helm, this journey in search of death is full of life."---"Publishers Weekly "(starred review) "An Eat, Pray, Love for the afterlife ... Murray tackles an uncomfortable subject with sensitivity, humor and great insight ... Making an Exit raises a host of issues worth thinking about ... In addition to being a deeply informative book, Making an Exit is also a personal one. Murray's reflections on her father's terminal illness and his plans for a no-frills cremation are particularly touching ... In the end, as her own experiences show, the rituals we create to honor the dead may say more about the living, and our fears and hopes." --Rachel Newcomb, The Washington Post
"The death of her father, and his clear orders for an unfussy, secular send-off, prompted Ms. Murray to consider her own long goodbye. The result is not only a fascinating travelogue, but also a personal meditation on loss and fate. Ms. Murray excels in the role of intrepid tour guide. She has an inviting way of taking readers by the hand to explore new cultures and places ... there is a wealth to discover within these pages." --The Economist An Eat, Pray, Love for the afterlife Murray tackles an uncomfortable subject with sensitivity, humor and great insight "Making an Exit" raises a host of issues worth thinking about In addition to being a deeply informative book, Making an Exit is also a personal one. Murray's reflections on her father's terminal illness and his plans for a no-frills cremation are particularly touching In the end, as her own experiences show, the rituals we create to honor the dead may say more about the living, and our fears and hopes. "Rachel Newcomb, The Washington Post"
The death of her father, and his clear orders for an unfussy, secular send-off, prompted Ms. Murray to consider her own long goodbye. The result is not only a fascinating travelogue, but also a personal meditation on loss and fate. Ms. Murray excels in the role of intrepid tour guide. She has an inviting way of taking readers by the hand to explore new cultures and places there is a wealth to discover within these pages. "The Economist"" "Murray's interest in this subject is so keen and wide-eyed, and her writing so fresh, that she almost charms you into forgetting that you're reading about something that some cultures dread and others welcome....A lively book on a deadly subject."--"Richmond Times-Dispatch"
"Murray writes with great tenderness and wit about death and its aftermath."--Audrey Niffenegger, author of "The Time Traveler's Wife"
"Brilliant...I was transfixed by this oddly life-enhancing book."--"The Daily Mail" (London)
"Difficult to put down. In less capable hands the subject matter might be morbid or disturbing, but with Murray at the helm, this journey in search of death is full of life."--"Publisher's Weekly" (starred review) "An Eat, Pray, Love for the afterlife ... Murray tackles an uncomfortable subject with sensitivity, humor and great insight ... "Making an Exit" raises a host of issues worth thinking about ... In addition to being a deeply informative book, Making an Exit is also a personal one. Murray's reflections on her father's terminal illness and his plans for a no-frills cremation are particularly touching ... In the end, as her own experiences show, the rituals we create to honor the dead may say more about the living, and our fears and hopes."--Rachel Newcomb, "The Washington Post"
"The death of her father, and his clear orders for an unfussy, secular send-off, prompted Ms. Murray to consider her own long goodbye. The result is not only a fascinating travelogue, but also a personal meditation on loss and fate. Ms. Murray excels in the role of intrepid tour guide. She has an inviting way of taking readers by the hand to explore new cultures and places ... there is a wealth to discover within these pages."--"The Economist"
