The Definitive Guide to Underground Humor : Quaint Quotes about Death, Funny Funeral Home Stories and Hilarious Headstone Epitaphs

"Edmund Gwenn, the famous actor, observed 'Dying is easy. Comedy is difficult.' Well, any comic will tell you, comedy about dying is really hard. But necessary. For what greater triumph of the human spirit exists than to defiantly mock the grinning reaper, specter of our darkest fears? 'Hey Death--is that a sickle in your hand or are you just glad to see me?'" -- by Anita Wise, stand up comedian/writer who has appeared on the "Tonight Show" and "Seinfeld."

That passage from the Foreword of the book "The Definitive Guide To Underground Humor" sets the stage by capturing the morbidly amusing essence of the succeeding pages. This book dares to explore the comical depths of death and the black humor hidden deep within us all, featuring: Quaint Quotes About Death from such people as Robin Williams, Woody Allen, Johnny Carson, Dennis Miller & Anita Wise; Funny Funeral Home Stories from anonymous funeral directors, embalmers, pall bearers, limo drivers and others who work in the funeral service industry; Hilarious Headstone Epitaphs from graveyards in different parts of the world; and Funeral-Flavored Comics from Non Sequitur & The Wizard of Id.

And who better to unearth this type of humor than someone with 122 years of service in the funeral industry in his genes. Author Edward Bergin's family has owned and/or operated funeral homes in Connecticut since the 1800s.

To those of you who might be uneasy about the idea of a book that deals with the lighter side of death, Anita Wise offers the following for you to ponder: "We enter the world crying, isn't it only fitting to leave it laughing? After all, death is not the final exit, but only a revolving door."

Having worked for 7 years at his family's 130 year-old funeral home, Edward Bergin is well acquainted with the importance and use of humor in the funeral service profession. His humorous insights into this secretive industry will make people smile, relax and, possibly, spin in their graves!