Funerals to die for : the craziest, creepiest, and most bizarre funeral traditions and practices ever world

True stories that put the, er, fun" back into funerals! The hereafter may still be part of the great unknown, but with Funerals to Die For you can unearth the rich--and often, dark--history of funeral rites. From getting a portrait painted with a loved one's ashes to purchasing a safety coffin complete with bells and breathing tubes, this book takes you on a whirlwind tour of funeral customs and trivia from all over the globe. Inside, you'll find more than 100 unbelievable traditions, practices, and facts, such as: The remains of a loved one can be launched into deep space for only $1,000. In Taiwan, strippers are hired to entertain funeral guests throughout the ceremony. Undertakers for the Tongan royal family weren't allowed to use their hands for 100 days after preparing a king's body. In the late 1800s, New Englanders would gulp down a cocktail of water and their family member's ashes in order to keep them from returning as vampires. Whether you fear being buried alive or just have a morbid curiosity of the other side, Funerals to Die For examines what may happen when another person dies. " Death may still be the great unknown, but in this book you'll learn all about how different cultures, different times, and different people dealt with the idea of the great hereafter. From lovely to bizarre, grotesque to funny, this book will take you on a whirlwind tour of funeral customs and trivia. Unearth the rich-- and often, dark-- history of funeral rites. From getting a portrait painted with a loved one's ashes to purchasing a safety coffin complete with bells and breathing tubes, Benjamin takes you on a whirlwind tour of funeral customs and trivia from all over the globe. Introduction The hilarious history of inhumation Death around the world Not-so-solemn superlatives The future of funerals Crazy one-offs.