INTERVIEW: Uncovering Pet Death's Greatest Mystery
Death in the Afternoon
The author of history's most influential piece of animal mourning literature had been lost...until now. Learn the incredible true story behind The Rainbow Bridge. Episode Guest Paul Koudounaris is a founding member of The Order of the Good Death. He has a PhD in Art History and has written three books about the use of skeletal remains in sacred spaces, Empire of Death, Heavenly Bodies, and Memento Mori. When he’s not hunting skeletons he moonlights as a cat historian, and his book co-authored by his tabby cat , was a 2020 Barnes and Noble Book of the Year. Episode Resources ...
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INTERVIEW: The Doulas Taking on California's Cemetery and Funeral Bureau
Death in the Afternoon
A court case in California could force death doulas to become licensed funeral directors. We talk to the doula and the lawyer taking on California's Funeral and Cemetery Bureau. Episode Guests Akhila Murphy is one of the original co-founders of Full Circle of Living and Dying, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit located in Grass Valley, CA. She is a trained End-of-Life Doula and After-Death care educator. Currently she serves on the board of directors for Full Circle of Living and Dying as Founding Director and Co-Chair President. Ben Field is an attorney at the Institute for Justice, a...
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INTERVIEW: Cadaver Dog in the Cemetery
Death in the Afternoon
Go behind the scenes with Cat Warren, who works with cadaver dogs to find the missing dead and locate Black and Indigenous burial grounds. Episode Guest Cat Warren is the author of the NYT bestseller What the Dog Knows, which explores how scent-detection dogs help find the missing and dead, sometimes even those missing for hundreds of years. She currently researches how best to use human remains detection dogs in archaeology and to help locate African-American burial grounds. Episode Resources Cat Warren’s by Cat Warren to access Cat’s 2022 event with us!...
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Legalization, TikTok, and Angry Elephants: An Immersive Year in Death
Death in the Afternoon
From viral trends to new options for your future corpse, Caitlin and Sarah review the best and worst of the past year in death, revealing how the death positive movement is making an impact on the way we do death. Episode Resources To access The Year in Death Project, , or make a of $50 or more to our nonprofit! Episode Credits: Hosted by Caitlin Doughty Co-Host Sarah Chavez Produced by the Order of the Good Death, Sarah Chavez and Lauren Ronaghan Edited by Alex de Freitas Music by Kissed Her Little Sister Podcast artwork by Jessica Peng () Is supported...
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CLASSIC ARTICLE: Whose Green Burial Is It Anyway?
Death in the Afternoon
In a space of loss that is already difficult to exist in, we need to do more to understand how our language surrounding green burial can better acknowledge difficult histories and experiences. Episode Resources This episode is an audio version of the article “” by Corinne Elicona. Episode Credits: Written by Corinne Elicona @CorinneElicona Narrated by Sarah Chavez Produced by the Order of the Good Death, Sarah Chavez and Lauren Ronaghan Edited by Alex de Freitas Music by Kissed Her Little Sister Podcast artwork by Jessica Peng () Is supported by listeners like...
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INTERVIEW: How We're Failing New Morticians
Death in the Afternoon
Mortuary schools began as embalming schools, sponsored by embalming chemical companies. Today, mortuary schools are designed to be more holistic, covering everything a new mortician may face in the industry. But what groups are being left out of this education? The last decade has brought hard discussions around serious gaps in what is taught to students and if they're ready for the reality of working in the death industry. In this episode Caitlin talks with two funeral directors, Joél Maldonado and Ezra Salter to discuss race and gender in funeral education and practice. ...
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CLASSIC ARTICLE: Washing Kathryn, Touching Death
Death in the Afternoon
No matter how long you’ve been working with dead bodies, nothing can prepare you for working on someone you knew and loved. Episode Resources This episode is an audio version of the article “” by Nora Menkin for The Order of the Good Death. Helping to care for someone’s body in death can be a profound experience. Visit to learn more about your rights and options. Have questions about becoming a mortician, or wondering if a career in death is right for you? Explore the answers in resources. Funerals and the role of funeral directors is changing. Hear...
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INTERVIEW: Opening a New Green Burial Cemetery
Death in the Afternoon
Where would you even start in opening your own green burial ground? After all, every cemetery is a unique snowflake, with its own confusing blend of regulations. We speak with one expert who will cut through the confusion, and one practitioner who made it all happen. Episode Guests Tanya Marsh, a professor at Wake Forest University School of Law focusing on laws regarding the status, treatment and disposition of human remains. Sarah Wambold is a writer and funeral director in Austin, TX. Episode Resources () () () Episode Credits: Hosted by Caitlin...
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CLASSIC ARTICLE: Does Death Positive Mean Death Fearless?
Death in the Afternoon
Hot Take: We’re all afraid of death – whether it’s the actual state of being dead one day, the pain of dying, or how your remains will be treated. Death Positive or not, that anxiety is something that bonds us all – and while it’s scary, it’s important to know you’re not alone. Episode Resources This episode is an audio version of the article “” by Louise Hung for The Order of the Good Death. () (https://www.orderofthegooddeath.com/history-of-death-positive-movement/) () Episode Credits: Narrator and writer Louise Hung ...
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INTERVIEW: How Human Composting Becomes Law
Death in the Afternoon
Episode Description Our future corpses have more options than ever, with eco-friendly processes like aquamation and composting being legalized across the U.S. and Canada. Find out the nitty-gritty truths on what goes into making these death alternatives a reality where you live. Host, Caitlin Doughty talks to founder, Katrina Spade who has been the driving force behind legalization efforts, and Order of the Good Death Executive Director, Sarah Chavez. Episode Resources Stay up to date with efforts to legalize composting in your state By signing up for the ....
info_outlineA wisp of white. A voice in the dark. A lamp mysteriously turns on by itself. Few things capture our imagination like a good ghost story. But is there more to a spooky tale than thrills and chills? Perhaps we are less afraid of WHAT or WHO haunts us, than we are of what we’ve done to deserve that haunting. Join us for a very SPIRITED Death in the Afternoon.