How to Die in the 21st Century is the handbook that fills the void left by fading religious ritual and social silence — a compassionate, anthropologically grounded guide to mortality that answers the questions most of us never dare to ask.
About This Book
Death is the one certainty that contemporary culture has largely failed to equip us for. As traditional rituals recede and religious frameworks lose their hold, many people find themselves navigating grief, end-of-life planning, and funeral decisions without any real guidance. Hannah Gould draws on her background as an anthropologist and death scholar to address this gap directly — covering everything from the practicalities of cremation and green burial to the social nuances of memorial etiquette. This is not a morbid text but a surprisingly hopeful one, arguing that confronting mortality with curiosity is not only possible but essential to living well. Honest and witty, it is essential reading for anyone thinking seriously about modern grief, sustainable burial, and what a good death might look like.
Key Features
- 240 pages of practical guidance, cultural analysis, and answered questions spanning cremation, green burials, grief, and end-of-life planning
- Written by Hannah Gould, anthropologist and death scholar
- Published by Thames & Hudson, ISBN: 9781760765309
What You'll Discover
- What actually happens to ashes after cremation — and whether the remains returned are genuinely those of your loved one
- How sustainable and alternative burial options, including green burials, work in practice and what they require
- Frameworks for initiating end-of-life conversations with ageing parents and other family members
- How to navigate grief for non-human companions and the social complexity of attending funerals for estranged relationships
About the Author
Hannah Gould is an anthropologist and death scholar whose work focuses on mortality, ritual, and contemporary practices around dying and grief. Her expertise positions her as a credible and thoughtful guide through the practical and emotional terrain this book covers.
Specifications
- Format: Softcover
- Pages: 240
- Dimensions: 233 x 154 mm
- Language: English
- ISBN: 9781760765309
- Publisher: Thames & Hudson
- Publication Date: [Details available upon request]
Perfect For: Readers navigating grief or end-of-life planning, those drawn to death-positive discourse, students of anthropology or sociology, and anyone seeking a frank, practical guide to mortality in the contemporary world.