Obitchuary: The Big Hot Book of Death

by Spencer Henry, Madison Reyes

Based on the popular podcast, The Big Hot Book of Death is a smart, funny look at the American culture of death and how we’re remembered. It's safe to say everyone thinks about death-whether they want to or not. But have you ever wondered about what sort of keepsakes you can make with your remains, or given any thought to the most scandalous deathbed confessions throughout history? Well Madison Reyes and Spencer Henry have, and they've spent countless hours scouring the darkest corners of the internet, digging through newspaper archives, devouring documents, and picking the brains of death industry experts to bring you Obitchuary, a darkly funny and deeply poignant exploration of all things death.  With chapters like "Coffin Confessions," “Executions to Die For,” “The Last Word,” and “If These Dolls Could Speak," Madison and Spencer guide us through surprisingly colorful history, traditions, and contemporary practices. They also demystify taboo topics with incredible and hilarious details, including FUNerals, as they call them, cremations and themed funerals, famous body snatchers, and so much more. Shocking, macabre, hilarious, and moving, Obitchuary digs deep into the physical aspects of death while also carefully exploring what death says about our humanity, and the ways we choose to remember those we've lost. So go ahead, crack open the book--we know you're dying to read it.

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor, Death, History, Audiobook, Adult, Cultural

224 pages, Hardcover

First published August 20, 2024

About the author

Hailing from the city of Los Angeles, Spencer Henry is a prominent figure in the podcasting realm, recognized for his intriguing, sometimes unhinged storytelling and charismatic hosting. An amateur sleuth at best, his journey into the world of podcasting commenced in 2018 with the launch of "Cult Liter," a show that swiftly captivated audiences with its exploration of lesser-known stories from the underbelly of society. Televangelists gone wild? Exorcisms gone awry? He’s all about it. Through a casual narrative style, Spencer cultivated a devoted following that eagerly awaited each new episode.

Building on the success of "Cult Liter," Spencer, alongside his best friend Madison Reyes, launched "Obitchuary." The podcast quickly gained traction, infusing humor and candid discussions on various societal anecdotes regarding all things death with an emphasis on obituaries. In August 2024 Spencer and Madison released their debut book 'OBITCHUARY: The Big Hot Book of Death.'

Reviews

[Kellie Rainey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I honestly think this is a classic case of people with a successful podcast not knowing how to differentiate between what is a discussion for podcast and what will work better as a written narrative. This book was already quite short, but I spent a lot of time skimming and skipping because it was reading like a podcast transcript of a vapid millennial OH MY GAWDing over a topic that has become very mainstream over the past 10 or so years with the rise of the true crime/horror podcast. The information itself was interesting enough, but the delivery of the information left a lot to be desired. If I wanted to yass queen and say whaaaat along with the authors, I'd prefer to just listen to the pod than read this brain dump of their research. They also misspelled "eww" as "eew" toward the end and that was really where I decided once and for all that this was 1) not well written or edited and 2) not worth forcing myself through anymore. There were only like four obituaries included and none of them were that funny or scathing. Every single one of them was interrupted throughout with commentary from the authors, which made following the vibe and narrative of the obituaries quite difficult. I personally think a compilation of funny obituaries with commentary AFTER the full text of each obituary would have worked much better, but that's just me. Wouldn't recommend this one.

[Krista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Obituaries of the scathing variety are really what inspired our ventures into the world of the macabre. I mean hello . . . it’s why we put the bitch in OBITCHUARY! Yes they’re hilarious, in an absurd morbid way, but really it’s the shock factor. Who would have thought that such a thing existed, and what would prompt somebody to write one? Well, as it turns out, there’s a variety of reasons. The truth of the matter is, some people just plain suck. We can all probably name at least one person in our lives worthy of some petty last words.

Spencer Henry and Madison Reyes have hosted a weekly podcast since 2021 called OBITCHUARY — which started as a venue for sharing “outlandish, hilarious, and sometimes scathing obituaries”, and has grown to include “bizarre history, strange funeral traditions” and a “dumb criminals segment” — and this is a compilation of some of their favourite findings. I expected Obitchuary: The Big Hot Book of Death to be more comprehensive (along the lines of Mary Roach’s Stiff), but while this is not a very serious look at the science or history surrounding death and its rituals, there was much here I hadn’t known before, all told in small, punchy bites. I feel this was written for a younger reader than I — the humour didn’t really land with me — but I do appreciate the effort to demystify that big unknown that’s coming for us all. (Note: I read an ARC through NetGalley and passages quoted may not be in their final forms.)

Examples of the facts and the writing style:

• Philip Clover of Columbus, Ohio, developed a device he called the “coffin torpedo” in 1878. In his words, it was a device created to “prevent the unauthorized resurrection of dead bodies.” It involved a system of triggers and springs that detonates an explosion of lead balls if the casket lid is opened after burial. Judge Thomas N. Howell invented his revision of the coffin-torpedo with the catchy slogan, “Sleep well, sweet angel, let no fears of ghouls disturb thy rest, for above thy shrouded form lies a torpedo, ready to make mincemeat of anyone who attempts to convey you to the pickling vat.” Hot damn. Imagine you’re just trying to get some cash for gold to get a bump on a Saturday night and — WHAMMY— your meat is minced, babe.

• Also known as lachrymatories, or tear vials, these were small containers that were believed to collect the tears shed by mourners during times of grief. These delicate glass or ceramic vessels were usually ornately designed and came in various shapes and sizes. It became a tangible expression of grief one could hold on to, to demonstrate the depth of their emotions, as it was believed that capturing tears symbolized the depth of one’s sorrow and love for the departed. Some even thought that evaporating tears were a way to send messages to the afterlife. We think these catchers are especially sweet because once the tears dried up, some would say it symbolized the end of mourning.

• Funeral strippers are just that, exotic dancers who sing and dance while removing their clothes at a funeral or in a procession to a funeral as a way to celebrate the life of the deceased and attract mourners. See! Everyone is afraid nobody will show up to their last party! If strippers can’t bring ’em in — what will, really? The tradition originated in Taiwan and has since spread throughout parts of China. Some say it brings good luck. We’re not experts here, but we’re willing to bet those people are straight men…It seems China has significantly cracked down on this controversial performance, since this little strip tease act is often considered obscene. In fact, they started giving rewards to people back in 2018 to snitch on others for hiring funeral strippers.

• In March 2013, four men in northern China were sentenced to prison for exhuming the corpses of ten women and selling them as ghost brides to the families of deceased, unmarried men. The women’s bodies were to be buried alongside the dead men, ensuring eternal companionship. Guess the saying is true: romance . . . is dead.

• In Sardinia’s past they would allegedly throw their sick elders off certain cliffs. Sometimes senicide would be done by a select group of women named accabbadoras, a.k.a. the terminator or ender. They would bless them and then proceed to either suffocate them, or kill them with blunt-force trauma by hitting them on the back of the head with a wooden mallet.

• In 1888, Alfred Nobel’s brother Ludvig Nobel passed away, but the French newspaper accidentally published an obituary for Alfred — oopsy daisy. The obit referred to Alfred as the “merchant of death” due to his invention of dynamite, which was then being used in warfare. Imagine not only was your obituary mistakenly printed but also . . . they dogged you in it? This incident reportedly had a profound impact on Alfred Nobel, leading him to establish the Nobel Prizes in order to leave a more positive legacy. Mission accomplished. We didn’t even know about the dynamite.

Ultimately: There were fewer “scathing” obituaries than I expected, fewer new and interesting facts (but to be fair, more than none), and nothing really made me laugh, but I did appreciate the aim of demystifying death: there was a section on the “alarming” suicide rates in South Korea and efforts being made (by places such as the Hyowon Healing Center) to offer “living funerals” — in which people can don shrouds and enter a dim room with a coffin in order to meditate on the reality and finality of death — and this actually seems to help these people better embrace life, so a story like that confirms the importance of conversations like those found in this book:

We hope you enjoyed our little romp through death. Our aim was to make you laugh and teach you something new while maybe changing how you see death. It’s a scary topic, one that is hard to comprehend, but learning about it gives us power. We wanted to show that it’s okay to talk about it and that knowledge can help us understand it better.

[kenn · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book reads very amateurish to me, like the authors just Googled a bunch of stories and looked up some stuff on wikipedia. And the information and tidbits presented are not particularly interesting either, including the personal stories of the authors. What’s more, as if the writers knew the content is not intriguing enough so they peppered throughout the book with “OMG”, “can’t believe it”, etc, to drum up the shock value. Most of the time, it just felt like making a mountain out of a molehill.

Perhaps because I have read Caitlin Doughty’s books, which in my opinion are much more informative, captivating, and entertaining, Obitchuary just feels very inept.

[Tucker Almengor · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd bury this book six feet under if I could.

Although it started off okay, a sturdy 3 star read with some interesting facts, it soon soured. The sense of humor started to get old and the book overall read like a buzzfeed article. Additionally, they kept abruptly switching back and forth with who was narrating which makes sense because I believe the authors mentioned having a podcast and that it is clear that that is their better medium. They tried to make an audiobook into a podcast and it doesn't work.

My biggest issue, however, was in their chapter about necrophilia. I won't go into my opinions on necrophilia except that they are nuanced and not necessarily against it (queue the clutching of pearls.) I think it's a far more complicated matter than people make it out to be. But that's for another time.

My issue is the complete lack of nuance, compassion, and empathy with which the authors handled the topic. To me, it felt pretty clear that they were coming from one very biased view point and came from it swinging. The way they handled this topic was not appropriate at all.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published August 20, 2024.

A fun(eral) look at all things death, famous last words, deathbed confessions, you know, that sort of thing. Stems from a podcast that I’m not familiar with, but I don’t know a ton of podcasts. The book was cute, but very short, only 145 pages, and I would definitely feel like I hadn’t gotten my money’s worth if I paid, say, $24 for it.

Oh, and in my ARC, FRANKENSTEIN is credited to Percy Shelley. Percy. Ladies, the struggle will never, never end.

[meggy (readsinbloom) · Rating 5 out of 5]

such an interesting book! loved the contents and learned a lot. received in a goodread’s giveaway!

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars 🌟

I saw this on goodreads giveaways (didn't win) I loved the play on words and it sounded interesting to boot.

This was just alot of fun... a few things I knew already but didn't mind reading about em again.
The authors tell everything in a fun way, very conversational...like we are in the same room sharing dinner 🍽 and a drink 🍸.

Some of these I shared with my friends 😄

I'll have to check out their podcast one of these days :)

Side note: still creeped out by death photography (I understand the why and concept of it but still the feelings)

[Natasha Leland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who knew reading about death could be so much fun? Chalked full of morbid humor, ghastly obituaries, and the world’s weirdest funeral requests, this book is a fun and informative read about funerary traditions around the world and through the centuries.

Maybe you’ve listened to Obitchuary, the podcast by Spencer Henry and Madison Reyes. They’re switching up the medium by publishing this “big hot book of death” and bringing you up to speed with some of the craziest will wishes. Like, did you know some people request their bodies to be modeled for their funeral? Or have you heard about grave dolls?

I found this book to be really fun and informative, and the writing style is relaxed… kind of like you’re reading the script to a podcast (it’s not written in script form). To be honest, I’ve never listened to the actual podcast before reading, and I really want to now. I think to some degree a lot of us have a fascination with the macabre, and exploring the different ways people prefer to be remembered and honored shows just how many options you really have.

At the end of every chapter, you’re given a look at someone’s obituary (and they are not always positive). Let’s just say... the tea was spilling. Plus, you’re given little insights into some celebrities alleged last words and how they wanted to be buried (or not). Basically, it’s a lot of fun little facts you can share around the dinner table– though you might want to wait until the food is digested.

While I really enjoyed this, I think that some parts might have been a little over-explained, which made it feel like it slowed down the pace. However, I will also note that it does mention in the beginning how this is meant to be a book that can be opened to any page and read.

I highly recommend this book, even if you’re just a tad curious about what happens on earth while your soul explores the afterlife. It might even inspire you to start planning ahead!

***Thank you NetGalley and Plume for lending me an e-galley of this novel in exchange for an honest review***

[britt_brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hate comparisons, but this is 100% for Caitlin Doughty fans. <— She’s incredible, btw. Read her books! Inspired by the authors’ podcast of the same name which highlights weird and funny obits. I wasn’t previously familiar, but def adding to my podcast queue. Dark, dark humor. Not for everyone. Interesting obituaries, general industry info, last words, deathbed confessions, and … sin eaters? Laughing and cringing both permitted.

[Vicky Flor · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re like me and you manage to find a way to bring up death in nearly every conversation, this book is for you. And if you’re not like me, then I’m glad that death isn’t a huge part of your life. But still read this. It was fun, touching, and informative, just like the podcast

[Colton · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know it’s based on their podcast, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be written like how a podcast sounds.

[Bilal Haque · Rating 2 out of 5]

Podcasters stop writing mid books please. This was just a collection of interesting facts… no narrative cohesion at all just a list of facts 😭😭😭😭

[Davenport Public Library Iowa · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Obitchuary: The Big Hot Book of Death' by Spencer Henry and Madison Reyes was not what I expected, but in a good way! This book is based on the podcast of the same name by Henry and Reyes where they discuss anything and everything related to death. The two particularly enjoy sharing obituaries with each other (and as a result, I expected this book to have more of those). There aren't nearly as many obituaries that I expected there to be, but the two work hard on providing other death-related content. Still happy that I decided to give this nonfiction title a read. I have also started listening to the podcast too!
.
Do you have questions about death? Death customs, keepsakes, what happens to your remains, scandalous deathbed confessions, final outfits, or more? Check out 'Obitchuary'! This book is a way to wet your interest in a variety of death-related topics. Treat this book as a springboard and then dive into other sources to do more research.
- Stephanie, Information Services Librarian

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this but it was just messy. I know the book is chunked out so you can read whatever but it was just a podcast of words instead of reading and actual book. Some great and weird stories in here but it just didn’t hit.

[Kerry Crabbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was wild.

[Bryce Petraccoro · Rating 2 out of 5]

I judged a book by its cover and got what I deserved for doing so

[Saycee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for people who are not decently educated in the world of death. I love the different elements to this book that really ties in all the strange, fascinating and unique situations that death is revolved around.

[Sara Vee · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you live the podcast, you'll love this book! Glimpses at everything from sin eaters and professional mourners to cadaver dogs and postmortem photography. Plus, obituaries!

[kylie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will start with the disclaimer that I have not listened to the podcast. But I promise that has nothing to do with my review. I just feel like it's fair to mention, as that's probably a large number of their readers.

ANYWAY, this was a fun read, morbid and still delightful. I was disappointed though when I started noticing some things that felt flippant and incorrect. Hear me out.
- When talking briefly about Carl Tanzler and his... proclivity for necrophilia, they referred to Maria Elena as "his side piece" whom he was in love with. I feel like this implies that they had some sort of relationship, when as far as I've ever read it was a very one-sided infatuation.
-"Percy Shelley, the brilliant mind behind Frankenstein and husband of Mary Shelley..." Ok. So this brought me down a small rabbit hole on the debated authorship of Frankenstein that I was completely unaware of. But like, maybe either don't give Percy credit for Mary's novel without some kind of citation on the debate OR perhaps just don't bring it up at all because it isn't confirmed or relevant? (Also, of course history is trying to take a woman's accomplishment and reassign it.) Later in the book, the authors mention Mary Shelly again, this time as the author of Frankenstein.
-"Scott Peterson's warehouse... where it turned out the crime had been committed." Another act of vague tea spilling that has no citation. Look, I'm not saying this one isn't correct, but I've never heard about any evidence in the warehouse bathroom or a confession about the bathroom, nor could I find it today. If that exists, please share. Otherwise, I just don't super trust what's being said based on the previous things said above.

Maybe these things seem small and don't merit 3 stars instead of 5. But I feel like 1) These are just the ones I actively caught and thought about and 2) it breaks trust in the material. I don't want to have to fact-check everything in a book that presumably has editors.

**I received my copy from Netgalley.

[Jilly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Anyone can host a podcast or write books these days, huh? Not to be Ron Swanson, but... I know more than you guys (I am an archaeologist) lol

This book isn't what it promised. I expected a fun romp through interesting obits and well researched backgrounds of the corresponding decedents. No. This was a surface level Google search of random bits of death related topics (random celebrity last words, pet cemeteries, last meal requests... To name a few). And literally, this book cited Wikipedia. It wasn't cute or funny. It just was a testament to how poorly researched this book was. And I have a feeling that if this book showed citations, we would probably find a lot of non-scholarly research (I'm GUESSING there was some *blog* reading going on). And another thing... Did we insert the graphics in the book to boost the page count ? This was really giving high school research project.

The actual obituaries were minimal, but I did enjoy those parts of the book. That was pretty much the only part of the book I enjoyed.

[Amy Alessandri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, simple, and interesting read about a topic I wish was more openly accepted and celebrated. I don’t listen to the podcast that the authors host, but if you also appreciate a dark sense of humor with a snarky tone, you’ll enjoy reading this.

This collection of tidbits only covers a small selection of topics related to death and if it leaves you desiring more, I highly recommend anything by Caitlin Doughty or Mary Roach.

[Jared Shea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love the podcast and will continue to listen weekly. Wasn’t the biggest fan of the book though as I feel like it was a summary of the podcast episodes for like a 6mo period. Would absolutely love to see the authors do another book but maybe have it be actual obituaries they hold dear to their friendship from when they first start sharing with one another.

[Marissa Taikina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, quick read from my favorite podcast hosts!

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 o

[Megan (ReadingRover)]

I like stories and facts about death but I just wasn’t into this. Maybe I wasn’t in the right mood. I don’t know but I abandoned ship after about 50%.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars, rounded up

This book reads very Millennial (derogatory), but it contains a lot of very interesting information. So it is worth pushing through.

[Linne · Rating 5 out of 5]

You guys know I’m not a nonfiction girly but I just got so curious about this book when it got sent to me so I gave it a try. And wow my very curious mind was so entertained! Who knew death could be this interesting??

The audiobook is narrated by the authors who also have a podcast so I definitely went the audiobook route with this one. Although, the physical book has a lot of nice illustrations too. So really you’d enjoy this one in both formats!

I mean I guess reading this is a little macabre but it really was very entertaining. I finished it in one single reading night! From FUNerals, to grave dolls, to coffin confessions, and famous last words, this book really was a good gift to my curious mind!!

Here are some facts I learned from this book:
1. You can turn your ashes into a beautiful diamond
2. You can preserve the tattoos of you or your loved ones as wall art (yes, there’s a place that does that)
3. In Greece, they held funeral games to honor the deceased and these evolved to what we know now as Olympics
4. Have you seen Midsommar? Remember that scene where they threw their oldest people off a cliff? Apparently in the past, Sardinia allegedly did that to their elderlies too!
5. Elvis Presley’s last words to his fiance were “I’m going to the bathroom to read”
6. In the Victorian era, public executions were major events, people believe that touching the hand of a freshly executed murderer was thought to have magical healing powers!

And sooo much more interesting facts like this!! Highly recommend this!!!
Oooh, it comes out tomorrow too! Don’t miss out on it!!!

[Emily Poche · Rating 1 out of 5]

For context I bought this on a Barnes and Noble employee recommendation. I was unaware it was a podcast vanity piece, which would have deterred me from buying it, as I haven’t listened.

If you’re a fan of the podcast; go for it. Maybe this is for you.

As far as I’m concerned, this book was unnecessary. I read a lot of death related nonfiction and this added nothing to the conversation. At no point did I think the POV was unique or that the insights/research were better than other existing titles. The tone is flippant and often times really belies that the authors are just regurgitating facts third hand. Essential context is missing from stories.

It also has a random section on lobotomies? Which, I suppose are interesting, but it wasn’t so much about the fatalities so much as it was pointing out icky brain stuff.

This book also had a handful of reference when providing direct quote but had literally not a single reference or citation. They could have been pulling shjt out of thin air (and TBH they may have been.)

I caution anyone who has read a lot of the popular nonfiction death interest books that this may be a huge miss.

At least it was short.

[Bailee Ford · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am super uncomfortable talking and reading about death, so I picked up this book as sort of a way to challenge myself. Right off the bat, this book broke down some of these uncomfortable topics about the physical aspects of death and how different cultures approach grief and synthesized them in a way that was more palatable. I'm not super familiar with the Cult Liter podcast, but I will say that this book reads as if you were listening to a podcast episode (whether that is a pro or a con is up to the individual reader. I didn't mind it).

This is a fun coffee table book, and has a lot of fun facts that I'm glad I learned. I wish there were examples of the interesting obituaries they mention in the intro (it also could've been a more cohesive way to tie chapters together), but I suppose I can always check out their podcast for more!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton/Plume for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Kelsey (Kelseylovesbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were several interesting facts and anecdotes in this book, but overall I found the flow and writing to be pretty clunky. It reads like a podcast episode, which makes sense given the authors host a podcast, however, it feels odd in book form.