A hard subject to think about, but presented here in a very interesting, respectful way. She talks about jobs and professions I had never heard of. An extremely good book and one I hope a lot of people take the time to listen to.

As an Emergency room NP having worked in emergency medicine for the past 15yrs This book is not for the faint of heart and is not for everyone (it is an obvious trigger for some people, which goes without saying). I started out really liking this book as I got Mary Roach vibes and thought it was a fascinating subject. However, as the book went on I felt the author (also the narrator) became judgmental and preachy. She was hard to listen to at times as she tried to make everything political. The way America views death is not for some and I was disappointed how close minded the author was to others opinions. Especially when the person she was interviewing was more familiar (IE the correctional officer) with the subject as opposed to the author who states she is “obsessed with death” but refuses to see others point of view. It really took away from the fascinating story.

Thank you Netgalley for this audio edition of All the Living and the Dead by Hayley Campbell.

If you enjoyed Stiff by Mary Roach, or Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty, you will also love this one. It's just as informative, enjoyable, and downright entertaining considering the content matter.

Even though death is one of those inevitable things that will happen to all of us someday, it's often tiptoed around, especially in our modern polite society. Hayley Campbell, through many interviews and hands on experiences, dive into multiple aspects of death. From the reverent cultural practices, to the grimy ugly parts of it. She covers things like tragic accidents and how the government handles them, the death penalty and the people who have to carry the weight of executioner, and body prep after a loved one has passed.

Listen, I made the mistake of listening to this while I was eating, and that was a mistake. If you get queasy, approach with caution. But, talk about a well written and vastly covered book that never once gets dry. Campbell keeps this incredibly human, full of humor, personality, and stark naked (sometimes literally) truths about death and dying. I learned a ton.

How is our relationship to death? Mines not very good even though I’ve assisted in autopsies. This was a look at death unfiltered. Just as it is. Nothing coloring it or explaining it away. Nothing trying to hide the cold hard facts of it. The author shares that there is a difference between shock of death and shock of grief. Making things more difficult and uncomfortable.
I learned about:
• Body snatching and body donation
• Funeral homes and clinical detachment
• Death masks, Mass casualties and crime scene cleaners
• Executioners , embalming, autopsy and Cryonics
I was especially moved about the authors experience with the baby in the bath. It seems not matter how we try to deal with death it is still hard to see and feel. It’s like getting shot, it’s unforgettable.
I chose to listen to this book on audio and the author narrated it. I swear she could narrator professionally and did way above average with her voice. I highly recommend listening to this and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Thanks Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.

In western cultures death is hidden., taboo. We don't talk about it or acknowledge it until we're forced to face it. Hayley Campbell's exploration of death workers introduces us to the professions of those who deal with the dead and dying on a regular basis. Some unthinkable, such as the bereavement midwife. But it's a topic that I, like many, are opening up to and find fascinating. Her research was impeccable, delivering us into this mysterious, foreign world.

Perfect for fans of Caitlin Doughty and Mary Roach.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Publishing for the advance copy.

“All the living and the dead,“ is a book about different professions that touch death. Most of the stories were truly intriguing and I found them quite interesting, but I have one problem with this book. First of all let me to say I have a big pet peeve with people mocking peoples religion. Everyone who wants to believe they’re a guy even though they’re born female should be respected and we should do the right pronouns but it’s OK to mock people who believe in God. That totally seems like a double standard to me. We are supposed to respect those who totally look female but want to be referred to is he or they, but believing in God is just going to four and you just can’t play along? Throughout the book she made reference to Christianity in all religions Bing superstitions in fairytales. When she went to Virginia to meet The executioner for that state after he greeted them so nicely and was so kind to them all she could do is continuously ask the same question and act exacerbated after he gave her 10 different reasons why he wasn’t murdering them. She made reference to his superstitious beliefs, but had he met them and said he wanted to be referred to as a she she would’ve been all about that. That really made me angry I’m sure you could tell. Before this chapter I was totally enjoying the book despite her talk of superstitious beliefs and let me just say I love God I believe in God and if you think it’s superstitious will I feel sorry for you, but having said that I also respect those with other pronouns besides the obvious. As I was saying after I listen to that chapter she just left a bad taste in my mouth and it almost ruined the rest of the book, but not quite I still love the part about the corner, and especially the last chapter. I just wish if we’re going to respect some we should respect all. Because even if God is a superstition me believing he’s real isn’t hurting you at all. So I don’t know why you feel the need to disrespect my believes that I supposed to respect yours. That just don’t seem fair. I The narrator did a great job and I would’ve given her five stars had this been audible but it’s not. I received this box from net Gally and the The publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review but all opinions are definitely my own.

From the first chapter of All the Living and the Dead, Haley Campbell forces the reader to confront the reality of death. Like Campbell I have an interesting relationship with death and strong opinions on modern death practices. Unlike Campbell I was not interested in rotting roadkill but to each their own. Slowly I started to fall in love with this book, as in each chapter Campbell talks to different people in modern death practices. People at the front lines of death, or last responders. Her honest curiosity and open mind make walking through this world of death so dynamic. All of the people she speaks to genuinely want to do what’s right by the dead; Honoring them above all else. I teared up on multiple occasions, quickly making this a five star read for me.

I think that this book is really good and it gives people the chance to get to know the people who could help care for them after they die in a way that is weirdly comforting.

Fantastic book. It was written and organized perfectly. I like that she talked about the history. What was done before and what is being done now All I can rely say is just read it. If you like any books on medical and history this is a fantastic book to read

I finished this yesterday but it took me some time to write this review because I had a lot of feelings. I’ve been thinking about death a lot lately (I don’t know how else to say that) due to things going on and honestly this book came at a time when I needed it. I was quite heartbroken by the quote about how the first time we see death shouldn’t be someone we love. That is so true, but as a society we don’t talk about death enough, and then when it inevitably happens, we are ill prepared.

This book was incredibly well written and it’s clear that Campbell put so much work into making it. This book is blunt and talks about the topic we don’t talk about enough, in a way that is beautiful and respectful and so well thought out. I think this should be required reading

I have been dealing with a lot of death within my family in the past couple of years. This book really helped me understand what everyone did for my family during the death. This book was excellently written, and it was very easy to follow. I really can't wait to read more for Hayley Campbell.


Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for letting give my honest review

Hayley Campbell not only wrote this book, but she narrated the audiobook. Having an author read her own book gives it more authenticity and emotion. Hayley’s voice matched the tone of the book, real, factual and sometimes raw.
If you’re looking for a unfiltered, clinical, sometimes uncomfortable and beautiful approach to all things death related, this the book for you. Hayley interviewed morticians, doctors, embalmers, grave diggers, detectives, and even a death mask artist. If it has to do with death, she covered it. Her quest brought her all over the world, but ended within her heart. The real point of the book was for her to curb her curiosity and look grief right in the eye.
You have to have a good stomach for a lot of the book. Hayley is very detailed with what she sees in the morgue, and the process of embalming. But, dealing with dead bodies isn’t a pretty thing so the reader shouldn’t be shocked.
The thing I took away from the book, which surprised me, was the empathy and feeling that most of the people in the industry feel for the dead. The care that is taken in cleaning and dressing, and the respect for the body is amazing. You will not walk away from this book disgusted. It was all very nicely done.

All the Living and the Dead was a super interesting read for anyone curious about the "death industry". Campbell approaches the subject with grace and respect for the dead. She also makes the writing easy to digest and very informative! I first read Mary Roach's "Stiff" to get acquainted with this topic; this book is a great companion to that!

Americans are almost as afraid of death as we are fascinated by it. Our love of true crime shows, books and podcasts know no bounds, the leading cause of death for American children is gun violence and yet we want nothing to do with the stark realities that death brings. Campbell interviews people who work in the “death industry”, from the detectives called to crime scenes, to the people who clean up after violent or messy death, to the undertakers, embalmers and even a former executioner. She gets behind the reason these people chose the line of work they did and discovers what they’ve learned from their jobs. And she asks the question – are we doing ourselves and our departed loved ones a disservice by being so divorced from the realities of death. Eye opening and hard to put down

I listened to the audio version of this book and can highly recommend this format. I had concerns at first that All the Living and the Dead would be morbid or ghoulish but it is not. Hayley Campbell is a British journalist who has written on a number of subjects and her writing is superb...but not flashy, "look at me" terrific. Campbell takes care to find just the right image or description of things she finds important. The book is about people whose work is dealing with death in one form or another. Funeral directors, embalmers, technicians who do autopsies, an executive with the Kenyon Company which helps with all problems caused by plane crashes, tsunamis, etc. The list goes on. I did not feel that Campbell focuses too much on the morbid aspects of the work done by these people but rather on how they deal with this kind of work. She spends time with each of them, and all the portraits are three-dimensional rather than superficial sketches. Because of the author's care in finding the most exact way of communicating what she experiences in the time spent with these people, the book has tremendous depth and I was moved by many of the experiences she describes. About three-fourths through the book, Campbell has an experience that hits her very hard, and she spends most of the next three weeks in bed. I, too, was deeply affected by what she describes and couldn't shake it off immediately.
In summary, this is an outstanding book by a terrifically intelligent and intrepid writer who is very straightforward with the reader. I usually steer clear of authors' readings of their own books, but I will take a chance in the future on any book written by and/or read by Hayley Campbell.

I am a sucker for a nonfiction audiobook narrated by its author. All The Living and the Dead, is a nonfiction book that dives into different jobs that deal with the dead. It was beautifully written, gruesome, and fascinating.

Fascinating story, excellent writing -- nonfiction just does not get much better than this. Highly recommended.