Hodder & Stoughton Press Release
FINAL DEPARTURES
Barry Albin Dyer, the man who lifted the lid on the greatest taboo of all death is back.
Britain's most remarkable undertaker takes an extraordinary journey around the world and across time to explore the mystery of death. Along the way he examines how different cultures and individuals mark the end of a life rituals that range from the conventional and unusual to the downright strange!
The book follows the runaway success of Barry's first book, Don't Drop The Coffin, which revealed the secrets of the funeral profession and Barry's own memories of life in London family firm F A Albin & Sons, as well as the television series of the same name which was recently broadcast on ITVI to great acclaim.
In Final Departures, Barry leaves the boundaries of his beloved Bermondsey to take a whistlestop tour of death around the world from the mummies of ancient Egypt to the technofunerals of modernday Korea and the futuristic plan to send ashes into space.
The book reveals littleknown details about the famous deaths that have affected millions, such as Elvis, Diana Princess of Wales, and Eva Peron. It also considers less wellknown but equally unique 'departures' such as the woman whose body is stored in a glass coffee table in her husband's living room!
Funeral practices range from gruesome and bizarre to beautiful and moving bone cleaning in Sicily, the 'Death Farm' in Tennessee and the Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico are just some of the examples Barry explores. Final Departures also looks at Barry's role in repatriating the remains of British victims of the September 11th attacks in America, and remarkable stories such as the canonization of Saint Bernadette.
Says Barry: "Death is a wonderful mystery that affects every single one of us, yet we talk little about what it means to die. I feel privileged to have had an insight into cultures around the globe and wanted to record the knowledge and wisdom I've picked up on my travels and encounters in the strange, stigmatized world of funerals, death and bereavement."
Final Departures was published on 23 October 2003 by Hodder & Stoughton, priced E9.99 (ISBN 0 340 86163 0).
please contact Sarah Dennis for further information
T. 020 7873 6044 F. 020 7873 6069 sarah.dennis@hodder.co.uk 338 Euston Road London NWI 3BH www.madaboutbooks.com
While there is no mention of cryonics in this press release, (perhaps it's no longer considered that weird) there is a chapter on cryonics. (20 pages) . There's a photo of Andy Zawacki standing next to a cryostat. Albin continues to be honest about his opinion of cryonics; that it won't work, but he is committed to complying with a person's wishes, in a professional manner, regardless of his personal feelings. He mentions the Ted Williams affair, and gives a comprehensive report on Remy Martinot, the Frenchman who had (or has) his parents stored in a freezer in his basement.