The title of the book, “Grave Expectations Planning the End like there is no Tomorrow”is clever, and the graphics are done well, That is where the value of this “funeral” book begins and ends.
There is too much writing required in this book, for the person who wants to plan their funeral.There are many cute facts about funerals written on the white background in the margin of this book.They are simply interesting things about funerals that have nothing to do with planning one’s funeral.
This work has several pages that warn you about Funeral Directors, but gives no concrete advice on how to deal with the sales professionals you will negotiate your funeral contract with. There is no real advice beyond:
“Don’t let anyone push you around or embarrass you. Go to the internet and check out all the options you have choose from”(page 53).
This is poor advice as the places to plan your funeral online are too numerous to count.Some are very good and others not so good. A little guidance on this would have been helpful.
There ARE NO WORDS in the book on how to deal with funeral pre need or prepaying for a funeral, which is how many folks deal with a funeral in North America. Many folks have been taken and lost money in preneed funeral schemes. Not to mention the Prepaid Funeral and the pitfalls involved makes this work inadequate.
In Chapter 10 the idea of A Funeral Rehearsal dinner that one attends before one’s death is a very creative idea, and thoughtful. But in many death circumstances(sudden death,long hospitalization) it is not at all possible.
The book offers some falsehoods when looking for an urn on line. On Page 96 the authors state that the International Cemetery and Funeral Association(ICCFA) and the National Funeral Directors Association(NFDA) police online establishments that sell funeral goods and services..(Page 96)
The sad truth is that these organizations simply are not setup to do this. They do not even police their own members, and could not even if they wanted to. The fact that the authors allowed that to be printed indicates a lack of understanding about funerals and the funeral industry.
There is much more that can be said about this book. It is incomplete and too tedious(too much writing) exercise in planning your funeral.
The authors and Cider Mill Press, the publisher did not do their homework om Funerals.
Funeral Industry|Funeral News|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy
Tags: "National Funeral Directors Association", cider mill press, funeral, funeral book, funeral industry, funeral news, funeral planning, Grave Expectations Planning the End like there is no Tomorrow, NFDA, Pre Need, preneed
