Are you curious to learn more about the fu neral and mourning practices of your ancestors? Why do we embalm the decea sed? Why are funerals so expensive? Is there a reason coffins are shaped t he way they are? Where does the tradition of viewing the body come from? C eremonies for honoring the deceased are crucial parts of our lives\, but f ew people know where our traditional practices come from&mdash\;and what t hey reveal about our history\, culture\, and beliefs about death. Author o f the book Last Rites\, Todd Harra will explore the history of American fu neral customs&mdash\; where they came from\, what they mean\, and how they are still evolving.
\nTodd Harra is the co-author of the Amazon bes tselling books Mortuary Confidential: Undertakers Spill the Dirt and Over Our Dead Bodies: Undertakers Lift the Lid\, as well as the Clip Undertaker mystery series\, Grave Matters and Patient Zero\, and more recently the f uneral history book\, Last Rites: The Evolution of the American Funeral. H e works for the family business McCrery &\; Harra Funeral Homes and Cre matory in Wilmington\, Delaware. Todd is a graduate of Elon University\, t he American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service\, and certifie d by Fountain National Academy. He is a funeral director\, embalmer\, post -mortem reconstructionist\, and cremationist.
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