Don't Drop the Coffin

by Barry Albin-Dyer, Greg Watts

From graveside punch-ups and gangland-style funerals to the sci-fi mysteries of cryonic suspension, this is the story of Barry Albin-Dyer, who runs one of the UK's oldest family firms of funeral directors, in Rotherhithe, South London. Now an ITV documentary, this edition contains extra photographs and a new cover. At times funny, at times bizarre, this is an insight into the profession of death. He describes all aspects of his work, from removing bodies from suicide and murder scenes to eccentric morticians, cryonics, spooky happenings and fights in cemeteries. As well as explaining the tricks of the trade, Barry, a Roman Catholic convert, ponders the meaning of death, the afterlife and the process of grieving, and refutes the claim that funeral directors prey on the vulnerable.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir

304 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2002

About the author

Barry Ablin-Dyer owns F. A. Albin & Sons in Bermondsey, South London, one of Britain's largest and oldest family firms of funeral directors. He is now one of the UK's best known undertakers and is consulted upon and conducts some of the most high-profile funerals in the country. He is also the sole European agent for Detroit's controversial Cryonics Institute.

Reviews

[Redfox5 · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an interesting and fascinating look into the work of a funeral director. Barry is a man who is very pround of his bussiness and rightly so! It's very informative about what his kind of work involves and is often funny to.I'm really annoyed that amazon don't have a copy of the tv show that goes with this book as I would really like to watch it. It would also have been useful if Barry had told abit more about how to get into this line of work if your not born into it. I'm pretty sure cyonics is where the impending zombie attack with start.

[Lewis White · Rating 5 out of 5]

**NO SPOILERS**

"Don't drop the coffin" is an absolutely fantastic book, Barry Albin-Dyer is a world-renowned funeral director and his memoirs make for a really fascinating read. he goes into just enough detail to give a good insight into what life has been like growing up in a family of funeral directors (actually living in a flat above the chapels), then to grow into one of the most well-respected funeral directors in the country. The way that Mr Albin-Dyer talks in this book really gives you a good impression of the way that he is as a man and the way that he likes to conduct his funerals/business. He goes through shocking and amusing stories (with names changed) and some comparisons of past funeral directing practices compared to current, he also discusses alternative options to the traditional funerals and the practices of our trans-Atlantic cousins.

I would recommend this book to anyone who works in the funeral industry or has an interest in doing so, or anyone that has work that relates to death and bereavement because it does give a wonderful insight into what a funeral director actually does. People who have an interest in death and bereavement will also enjoy and most likely get a lot out of this book.

Don't Drop the Coffin!: Lifting the Lid on Britain's Most Remarkable Undertaker

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was ok i know it was an ‘autobiography’ but I got fed up with hearing about him! The stories and information were good but I didn’t much care for Barry Albin I skipped through the chapters and there were some really interesting bits murders and gangland killings, bodies in the Thames and the future regarding cryonics.
Maybe it’s because hubby just got me a new book I am dying to start so maybe I’ll come back to this book but I doubt it there are so many other books to read.

[Michele]

surprisingly good and interesting although a bit gory especially with the worms coming out of the mouth bit.yuck!

[Selene · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dull!