The American Way of Death by Jessica Mitford

Welcome to another episode of the Bowie Book Club, where wild speculation and grasping for straws about Bowie’s favorite books has reigned supreme since 2016. This time we read The American Way of Death by Jessica Mitford - a cheery little tome that's been called the "Consumer Reports of the Funeral Industry".

Amazon | IndieBound

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Our guest this episode is the hardest working man in show business, or at least the hardest working person who's been on this show - Levi Fuller, who's known for his bands Levi Fuller and the Library and the Luna Moth, and his quarterly Ball of Wax compilation, which gathers great music from all sorts of directions.

Stuff we Mentioned

Ball of Wax Audio Quarterly #25 - songs about books.

Bushwick Bookclub of Seattle

Wild by Cheryl Strayed

Bluets by Maggie Nelson

Stiff by Mary Roach

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty and her guide on How to Make Your Death Plan

New Yorker article about Jessica Mitford

Mitford singing 'Right, Said Fred' with Maya Angelou

the etymology of the word 'wake'

"Safety" coffins

George Romero

Pure Cremation

Online cut-up generator

Dismal Fest in Seattle

Garden District Bookshop in New Orleans

What's Up Next

We start a streak of music books with Sweet Soul Music by Peter Guralnick.

And here's our list of books for 2019!

What Song Did We Choose?

Levi presented us with his take on the book in "The Funerals Profession"

With these cut-up lyrics

At family contribute the funerals profession Through the special and navigated benefit no plenty able sadness and always with notice and more

without family tribute family back already With many services friends we direct him here and with music consistently dignity always

The Here about a body icon’s family memorial fans broke cremation gems funeral so the vast lots that public place be traditional We’ll next headline England

People want crematorium and legal occasion ignorance conscious call news a simply life ashes remember church unselfconscious throughout vast families

The Here about a body icon’s family memorial fans broke cremation gems funeral so the vast lots that public place be traditional We’ll next headline England

And his choice from Bowie: