The Good Funeral Guide

Charles Cowling was for too many years a passionate English teacher, a job for which his mildly anarchic nature essentially disqualified him. He jumped ship in 2000 on the strength of having an article about exam results published in The Sunday Times.. He also trains funeral celebrants and reviews schools for the Good Schools Guide.

The Guide is designed to inform speedily, efficiently, matter-of-factly and thoroughly. It enables its readers to; decide how the body of the dead person will be cared for and who will do it. make informed choices about products and services; get best value for money; read reviews of best funeral directors; create a meaningful and memorable funeral ceremony; create an end-of-life plan; acquire some background information about death and dying, and find out where to learn more.; Chapter breakdown -; What's in this guide? Take your time/Take charge/Take stock; Why do we have funerals? What is a green funeral?; Burial or cremation?; What happens when we die?; Caring for the body Why would you want to? What needs to be done?; Doing it all yourself/Embalming; Going to see someone who's died; Style your funeral The crematorium and other funeral venues/Celebrants/A life-centred funeral/Do it your way/Can a funeral be fun? Set your goals/Choose your ingredients/Create a sense of occasion/Who will be the host? Construct the ceremony/Tribute writing tips/Funeral food; Funeral directors What are they like and what do they know? Should funeral directors be regulated? What do they do? What do they cost? Telling them apart/Find out who's out there/Buy only what you want; 101 coffins and a shroud; Final rides - hearses; Marking the spot - memorials; What to do with the ashes?; What does dying feel like?; Planning your own death and funeral.