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| Being Dead Is No Excuse: The Official Southern Ladies Guide To Hosting the Perfect Funeral | 
 enlarge | Author: Gayden Metcalfe
Publisher: Miramax
Category: Book
List Price: $19.95
Buy New: $6.00
You Save: $13.95 (70%)
New (43) Used (36) Collectible (12) from $5.95
Avg. Customer Rating:  83 reviews
Sales Rank: 6880
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.6 x 1
ISBN: 1401359345
Dewey Decimal Number: 395.230207
EAN: 9781401359348
ASIN: 1401359345
Publication Date: March 16, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: New - Fast shipping from trusted wholesaler with many exclusive publisher contracts.*
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| Customer Reviews:
 Not just for funerals December 3, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I loved this little book.. I bought it for my self, my daughter and my neice. Not just for the recipes, but it's very funny and is authentic to my Southern roots--also the recipes that I've made from it are truly Southern. I may need to buy some more of these little books...
If you need a good belly laugh, read this book! November 27, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book is so funny it will have you in tears. I have passed this book on to several people who have all loved it too. So much of it rings true to the South. Southern girls will love this book.
Laughter October 8, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I laughed out loud reading this book, and I could relate to some of the dynamics having worked in a church kitchen. Even a Yankee can enjoy this concoction of recipes and humor. It reminded me of my charming friend in Louisiana whose southern conversation flows from her mouth like cream. This book makes a great gift for ladies!
A True Gem for Those of Us Who Live It ! September 6, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Gayden's book is beyond a cookbook---it brings to mind that culture that we lived and actually are still living in the South. A Yankee friend said she just "couldn't relate" to the book. Poor thing. I guess it just takes a Southern lady of a "certain age" to fully appreciate the authenticity of Gayden Metcalfe's descriptions of our funeral protocol!
Even when reading it all alone, I laughed right out loud on nearly every page at not only Gayden's wit, but her ability to let us see the funny side (and caring side) of our funerals and the food solace we provide before and after. It captures those customs perfectly. And, just as she said, I keep the ingredients of a casserole in my pantry at all times, just in case of a neighbor's sudden death, and my funeral suit hangs in the closet and my pearls at the top of my jewelry chest, at the ready.
I always sent my sons to church in suits and ties anyway, but I did this partly so they too would be ready for a funeral at the drop of a hat. More than once, we'd have to outfit a cousin because his mother didn't understand this, bless her heart.
Gayden's recipes are grand, really dressed up versions of our "funeral food." No Cheese Wiz is included, thank goodness.
I particulary laughed at this truth: After the cemetery part of the funeral, in the car on the way to the family home for the funeral meal, we can speak ill of the dead one quite vigorously. But once we get in the driveway of the bereaved, we straighten up and speak only of the great loss to the community his death has caused, even though he had been a rip-roaring scoundrel.
And even in the privacy of our car, understand that each criticism of the dead one had been prefaced with "Bless his heart. . ."
A Southern lady can give the most scathing statement as long as she begins with "Bless her heart. . ." An example, "Bless her heart, she's ugly as homemade soap and her children are such a disappointment. They all take after her grand-daddy on her mother's side, and bless his heart, I wouldn't pour ice tea on that rascal if he was on fire." Of course, we wouldn't do that at the family home after the funeral, only in the car on the way to it.
And we could get away with saying that to her third cousin once removed over the bridge table, but we wouldn't say it to her face. But we could say to her: "Bless your heart, that husband of yours has caused you such grief, with his runnin' around and all. I just wish you'd married Joe Bob, who made a dentist. I know your daddy wanted you to, but, Lord knows, you did the best you could at the time, you bein' pregnant and all."
 If you like cookbooks... August 13, 2007
Started off funny and was loving it..then it became pretty mundane and nothing but recipes. Some look pretty good and worth a try. But I don't think this one is as funny as it could have been with less recipes and more funny stories.
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