Down Among the Dead Men

A Year in the Life of a Mortuary Technician

By: Michelle Williams, Keith McCarthy

Narrated by: Liz Holliss

Length: 7 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

Michelle Williams, an attractive young woman with close family ties and an active social life, describes her first extraordinary year in her unusual new job as a mortuary technician. It’s a year in which, with innate good humour, she encounters death at its most tragic, bizarre, and hilarious. Her tale, neither gruesome nor sad, is enlivened by a range of colourful and eccentric characters, from pathologists and coroners to hospital porters and undertakers, giving us a glimpse of life - and death - that few of us will ever experience.

©2010 Michelle Williams (P)2011 Isis Publishing Ltd

Fascinating Account of Life in a Hospital Mortuary

I truly enjoyed listening to this book! The pace was very good as we follow a young British woman apply for a job as a technician in a mortuary at a local hospital and all that she experiences during the first year of her job.

If you are curious as to what happens to our earthly remains after we die this is an excellent read!

Things you never wanted to know about a mortuary

What did you love best about Down Among the Dead Men?

British dialogue

Who was your favorite character and why?

Shelly was my favorite character, her views and insights to the other characters was great!

Which character – as performed by Liz Holliss – was your favorite?

Shelly

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I found the story very interesting to learn about what goes on in a mortuary

Any additional comments?

It is a good read, not bloody or gory but very informative.

Very good, personal story of how she got into work

Loved it! I do hospice, and it shows the true reason, of why this career was her calling.

Great Listen

The life of a technician. Very interesting and informing. Didn’t want to stop listening. It takes place in the UK. So I’m sure laws and procedures are different but still worth a listen.

Very Well Presented

I really liked the book. Anyone going into the funeral services should listen. I need to go back and review the time period. Seems kind of sexist at times or maybe the author is slightly self deprecating. But I’m glad we weren’t overloaded with jargon. A great read.

Captivating

Learned a few things. Very interesting to learn about a vital part of our society.

Compelling

The further into the story the more engaged I became. At first I thought the story was just ok. The more I listened the more endearing the accent and British colloquialisms became. I became more enamoured with the narrator- both author's voice and the reader's physical voice won me over. It was an easy, enjoyable, humorous, and educational listen.

Curious and Satisfying

Very nicely and neatly told. I enjoyed getting to know Shelley and the crew. This book was informative and interesting, not gruesome in the least. I think it's important to understand what happens in the morgue to demystify it and quell the feeling of taboo.

Wonderful!!

fantastic book! Been wanting to be a mortician for years and this gives me a rough idea what it'll be like. This has given me the motivation to finally take the dive and go to college!

Amazing !

This story takes place in England so we will find some differences with this kind of work in America but the telling is interesting enough and as in any job there are all kind of situations and it makes for a very interesting reading. Enjoy