Personal Effects

 Book 57 of my 2024 Reading Challenge

read from July 26 - August 2

Personal Effects: What Recovering the Dead Teaches Me About Caring for the Living

by Robert Jensen

My Opinion

4 stars

I wavered between 3 and 4 stars but am rounding up to 4 because of the unique perspective and immense respect for loss the author portrays.  I put this book on my 'to-read' list after picking it up as a hold for my mom at our local library.  When an author respects death and its victims, I'm fascinated by the rituals and details surrounding whatever circumstance they're talking about.  

To paraphrase, there are three main angles to consider and balance when approaching a mass casualty situation.  One is the deceased and their right to be identified if possible and buried.  Another is the survivors and their right to be informed and given space to grieve.  The third is the investigation, whether it's criminal or an accident, and the need to preserve evidence and reflect on any potential changes in the future.

Even just reading about the tragedies was overwhelming in the sheer numbers and I can't imagine actually processing them.  Although the author states he would love for his company to be out of business, unfortunately there are plenty of accidents that make his expertise necessary.  I'm amazed at how many human fragments and debris pieces can be recovered, preserved, and identified.