What Remains Named Book of the Month by Caught by the River

Rupert Callender’s memoir What Remains: Life, Death and the Human Art of Undertaking was featured as Book of the Month by the cultural journal Caught by the River.

The review reflects on the book as a thoughtful and candid exploration of death, ritual and the role of the undertaker, drawing attention to its honesty, tenderness and willingness to challenge widely held assumptions about funerals and grief.

Key Themes from the Article

Rethinking the Role of the Undertaker

The review highlights how What Remains challenges familiar portrayals of funeral directors. Rather than presenting undertaking as a distant or purely procedural profession, the book explores it as a deeply human practice rooted in care, ritual and participation. It describes the work as both an art and a form of service to the living as well as the dead.

A Journey Through an Unconventional Life

The article also reflects on the personal story at the heart of the memoir, tracing Ru’s journey from youth culture and alternative communities to the founding of The Green Funeral Company. It notes that the book explores experiences ranging from community rituals and artistic collaborations to the development of more environmentally conscious and participatory funeral practices.

Facing Death Honestly

A strong theme in the review is the way the book addresses death directly, without sentimentality or avoidance. The reviewer observes that it explores the language, rituals and cultural attitudes surrounding death, encouraging readers to confront the subject with curiosity and openness rather than fear.

The book is described as both unsettling and comforting at times, reflecting the complex emotional reality of grief and loss.

The Importance of Ritual and Participation

Another point emphasised in the article is the significance of involvement in funeral rituals, particularly for families and children. The reviewer notes that the memoir shares examples showing how participation can create meaningful memories and help people process loss in a more grounded way.

Why This Matters

Reviews like this reflect a growing cultural interest in more thoughtful and personal approaches to death and mourning. Many readers are increasingly questioning conventional funeral practices and seeking ways to create ceremonies that feel authentic, meaningful and connected to the life being remembered.

By opening up conversations about grief, ritual and community, What Remains continues to contribute to a wider shift in how society thinks about death — not as something to avoid, but as a part of life that can be approached with honesty, compassion and creativity.

Read the Original Article

You can read the full Book of the Month feature published by Caught by the River here:
https://www.caughtbytheriver.net/2022/09/book-of-the-month-ru-callender-what-remains/