superb discussion of alternative destinations
Valuable both for individuals contemplating alternatives and for cemetery managers like myself thinking of establishing a green cemetery.

Illuminating
What a great book, really well done. Mark Harris has written a concise but very informational book on alternative options to the traditional method of caring for the dead. I've been uncomfortable with this method since I was a pre-teen and attended my first funeral, for an uncle who died of cancer in his early 20s. It seemed so strange to me, the artifical blush of his face against the voluptuous bedding in the enormously ornate and polished coffin. It seemed so removed from him, his life, and who he was. The actual burial place seemed removed as well, very sterile and manicured, the standard level emerald green lawn with no understory, trees, and little wildlife. I juxtapose this method with the natural burial method in the last chapter of this book and I'm blown away at how different it can be. Mark Harris has done a fine job of illuminating the realities of the funeral business today in a non-confrontational manner, without sarcasm or a posturing. I appreciate the description of the alternatives in under 200 pages; so many authors these days feel it necessary to expand on a topic ad nauseum for 500-600 pages. This book isn't perfect; there are a few contradictions in the summaries at the end of each chapter when he compares state requirements and Harris doesn't really address the high costs of burial at some of the natural cemetaries (the ones in California come to mind), which is only fair after he extensively discusses the costs of traditional funerals. But these are minor issues with an overall excellent book. Highly recommended.

A Great Book on a Difficult Subject..
These pages do the human race a great service. Every Funeral Director needs to read this book. Death is not a pleasant subject. This book is more than worth the price. Everyone has trouble thinking about grave matters. Just as cremation came to America, so comes the green funeral. This book is the future in Funerals, it is well thought out, researched and well written. Practical How to tips are in the back of each chapter. Everyone needs to read these tips. Everyone! Great work, Mark Harris.

Funeral Directors please read this book with an open mind. Personally, I have found this book helpful in my work with families in the Funeral Profession.

Excellent Overview
This book is concise and informative and provides a great overview of the various burial alternatives that are accepted in the US today. It presents the options, which range from one end of the spectrum to the other. This is an eye-opener for those who think the modern funeral industry is the way to go (pun intended). I have already passed this book on to my family and will encourage all my friends and loved ones to read it. At least they can make decision about their own burial from an informed point of view.

Excellent Introductory Read for Anyone Interested in Traditional or Eco-Friendly Burial
I really enjoyed this book. It's organized very systematically with each chapter covering one topic or burial scenario. The first two chapters lay out the current state of affairs in burial. One was on the specifics of embalming and funeral-prep, which was nauseating yet fascinating, and another on the funeral business of selling services - both needed and unneeded - to grieving families. From there, the book goes into actual burial options, starting with the least green of the eco-friendly options (cremation), following through to the most eco-friendly scenario at the end. The chapters themselves are broken down even further with the bulk of the chapter telling a story of a family burying their loved one in the prescribed manner, and ending with a basic informational snapshot or "how-to."

The storytelling tone of the book made for a quick, entertaining read (well, as entertained as one can be when peering into the funerals of others), and occasionally left me a bit choked up due to touching nature of each of the burials and contentment that each family seemed to feel by taking the "green" route and fulfilling their loved ones wishes at the same time.

The book often referred to other well-know books on the funeral industry (Mitford's "American Way of Death," for example), which was smart seeing as the information presented here is more brief than I had hoped. But, really, that's the only criticism I can give it. And if "it was too short!" is the worst the author can do, he should probably be pretty pleased with himself :)

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a more natural way of death and burial, whether to protect the environment or to just keep life - and death - as simple as it should be.