Book Review: More Six Feet Down Under by Chris Mann

More Six Feet Down Under by Chris Mann, ISBN 978047316325, RRP$24.95, Available now.

Ah, self publishing. I could write a whole post on the phenomenon… but it’s taken me a while to just get this post done, so one step at a time.

There’s self-publishing and then there’s self-publishing. Chris Mann has now managed to produce two books in the former category. Er, that’s the good one.

More Six Feet Down Under is a simple follow up to Six Feet Down Under (a book which I really enjoyed) and Mann uses the same formula to produce another interesting read. He writes reasonably well, he tells a good yarn and he knows a lot about an industry we all come in contact with in one way or another – that of death.

Yes, Mann was a funeral director for many years and More Six Feet Down Under answers many of the questions people have about funerals and death but, yes, were afraid to ask. Such as do you have to have a funeral? (No.) How do you move a body in rigor mortis? (Move their limbs around until they soften.) What temperature is needed for cremation? (Preheat to 650 degrees.) Can we bury Dad in the backyard? (No.) Do bodies fart? (Not really but you’ll never use the word “purge” the same way again.)

The great thing about More Six Feet Down Under is that Chris Mann approaches his subject forthrightly and pragmatically but also gently and with humour. Much like you imagine the best funeral directors would. As with Six Feet Down Under you might never want to let your loved ones in a car again and some of stories particularly regarding children will be pretty upsetting to most people.

But the truth is, despite our best efforts, death remains one of life’s certainties. I would definitely recommend More Six Feet Down Under and why not buy both titles? Mr Mann sells them both on TradeMe for a very respectable $24.95 (including postage) , or they’re also both available on Publish Me or The Copy Press website. There, you’ve got no excuse now.