Exit Strategy: Thinking Outside the Box

by Michelle Cromer

A lighthearted, illustrated guide to creative funeral planning cites the high cost and impersonal nature of traditional funerals, outlining such alternate options as having one's remains shot into space, spread across the sky in a fireworks display, and turned into a piece of jewelry. Original.

Genres: Nonfiction

132 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Michelle Cromer is the author of two adult nonfictions and a children’s book. She conducts workshops in which participants learn how to tap into a deep well of spirituality, serenity, and purpose. A woman of contradictions, Michelle believes that spirituality and capitalism can co-exist, that you have to sit still to get somewhere, and that - despite her best efforts - there are some questions for which the answers only come when you stop asking. She lives with her family in El Paso, where her nonprofit works to bring justice for the missing and murdered in Juarez.

Reviews

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine. I recommend it if you’re just starting to look into alternative burials, etc. but you’re familiar with folks like Caitlin Doughty or Mary Roach, you’re not going to find out much you don’t already know. This book has one chapter on mummification, but for the most part sticks to things you can do with cremains (e.g. being made into a diamond, fireworks, scattered from a balloon, etc.). I felt like some parts read more as an ad than information.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the book that I thought it would be. My mis-assumption. However, still something that needed to be read & thought about, regardless of how uncomfortable the topic is.

[Kelly Lynn Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was very kitschy, with very little real content or information. This is definitely the kind of book you'd give to your 50 year old father as a joke, providing he has a sense of humor. That being said, what little real info she had was good, although 95% of the book talked about what you can do with cremated remains instead of alternatives to traditional burial and cremation. Skip this book and read Curtains: Adventures of an Undertaker in Training instead. Curtains has most of the same info wrapped in an enjoyable narrative.

[LINDA · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains descriptions and information of interesting options for cremated remains. In a world where the majority of us end up standing in a funeral parlor for two days while our deceased relative or friend is presented to us in a wooden box, shellacked with make-up, I find this book to full of refreshing options that are certainly more likely to evoke celebration someone's life rather than the morning of their death. .

[Kaye · Rating 2 out of 5]

A brief mention of all the things you can do with your corpse after you're dead. My personal favorite was the "Life-Gem," which compresses your loved ones ashes into a stunning diamond that you can wear as jewelery. No need to let death part you!

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to be writing a will soon and would like to include details on how to handle my remains without dreary and expensive funeral arrangements. I'm looking for something a little more ME. Eternal sleep in the deep coral reef? Be blown into glass? Green burial? The options are endless.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Cromer has a great sense of humor on what can be a very difficult subject to discuss.

I've always known I wanted to be cremated instead of buried in the family plot. Now I have several options on how to make my transition more meaningful and well...more playful.

[Jane]

I knew I wanted to be cremated, but didn't know I could be made into fireworks, clay or glass (Janet Herlihy, pay attention!) as well as coral reefs and a diamond.

[Traci · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an amazing little book of ideas for what you could do for your own funeral. Some of them were fun some of them cute but most were just really touching and cool.

[Terryann Saint]

Loved it. I am going by Fireworks of couse...I'm pretty scattered already...

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy & fun read for folks looking for alternative send offs in a cookie cutter world.