logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2023
50m 45s

Checking Out: The Industry That Takes Ca...

Intelligence Squared
About this episode

Ever since she was a young child, journalist Hayley Campbell has been fascinated by death. It's the theme of her new book, All the Living and the Dead: An Exploration of the People Who Make Death Their Life’s Work, which has been acclaimed by the likes of Neil Gaiman, Nigella Lawson and Tuppence Middleton. In conversation with writer Blanche Girouard, Campbell relates the encounters she has had with the people who make a living by working with the dead, including mass fatality investigators, embalmers and a former executioner who is responsible for ending 62 lives. This episode contains discussion about grief and bereavement that some listeners may find distressing. 

We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be about. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com. 

At Intelligence Squared we’ve got our own online streaming platform, Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s most important topics as well as exclusive podcast content. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch on-demand, totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Oct 7
Anthony Scaramucci on Trump and the Threat to American Democracy (Part Two)
Anthony Scaramucci, former White House Communications Director turned outspoken Trump critic, comes to Intelligence Squared in September for a straight-talking conversation on the fallout from Trump’s second presidency. From his brief but explosive tenure inside the Trump White H ... Show More
31m 42s
Oct 5
Anthony Scaramucci on Trump and the Threat to American Democracy (Part One)
Anthony Scaramucci, former White House Communications Director turned outspoken Trump critic, comes to Intelligence Squared in September for a straight-talking conversation on the fallout from Trump’s second presidency. From his brief but explosive tenure inside the Trump White H ... Show More
35m 46s
Oct 4
The Thick of It: 20 Years On, with Armando Iannucci, Peter Capaldi, Chris Addison and Rebecca Front (Part Two)
Malcolm Tucker. Pet ASBOs. A law requiring everyone in Britain to carry around a plastic bag. It’s been twenty years since Armando Iannucci‘s The Thick of It first brought the chaos and drama of the fictitious ‘Department of Social Affairs and Citizenship’ into our lives. First a ... Show More
38m 25s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2024
When death is your career
What does it mean to make a living from death? From a young age, Joél Simone Maldonado was fascinated by mortality, leading her to a career as a funeral director, embalmer and sacred grief practitioner. In the final episode of our miniseries on grief and money, Reema Khrais talks ... Show More
36m 41s
May 2024
Life after death?
Sebastian Junger came as close as you possibly can to dying. While his doctors struggled to revive him, the veteran reporter and avowed rationalist experienced things that shocked and shook him, leaving him with profound questions and unexpected revelations. In his new book, In M ... Show More
52m 37s
Apr 2025
Why thinking about death helps you live a better life | Alua Arthur
As a death doula, or someone who supports dying people and their loved ones, Alua Arthur spends a lot of time thinking about the end of life. In a profound talk that examines our brief, perfectly human time on this planet, she asks us to look at our lives through the lens of our ... Show More
19m 58s
Dec 2024
Why you should start thinking about death | How to Be a Better Human
There’s a saying about two things that are inevitable in this world, and Alua Arthur wants to help you think about one of them with less fear. No, she’s not a tax professional – she’s a death doula, a person who supports dying people and their loved ones. On this episode of How t ... Show More
35m 51s
May 2024
Do You Think Funeral Homes are Haunted??
Do you believe in ghosts?! Another favorite for our spooky lovers, Melissa Jo is one of the best funeral directors in New York! I had no idea that funerals were so expensive, or that so many things could possibly go wrong! Join us as we talk about misconceptions about dying, fune ... Show More
50m 15s
Feb 2025
A Sweet Conversation About Dying with Death Doula Alua Arthur
Death is a word we like to avoid. We dance around the subject or use vague euphemisms to not hurt anybody. But what if being open about our deaths meant we could live happier lives?That’s where Alua Arthur comes in. Alua is one of the most prominent death doulas in the country, w ... Show More
45m 22s
Oct 2022
Introducing Died and Survived
WHAT IF OUR END WAS REALLY JUST THE BEGINNING?IT’S THE GREATEST MYSTERY OF OUR LIVES THAT NONE OF US WILL SOLVE UNTIL WE DIE. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE?British journalist and broadcaster Charlie Webster experienced life after death. After completing an exhausting 3000 miles charit ... Show More
2m 52s
Sep 2024
Death and How to Live It: Death Doula, Alua Arthur
Alua Arthur joins Rainn Wilson on Soul Boom to explore the transformative power of embracing mortality. They delve into how contemplating death can bring clarity and meaning to life, the cultural taboos around discussing death, and the importance of preparing for the end of life. ... Show More
1 h
Sep 2024
643 Nothing to Fear with Hospice Nurse Julie McFadden
I am so thrilled to welcome Hospice Nurse Julie to the show to talk to us all about end-of-life care: what to expect, what actively dying looks like, why it's so important to normalize discussing death, and what inspired Julie to start posting on TikTok and write her book, Nothin ... Show More
36m 30s
Apr 2024
Live Each Day Like It’s Your First: with Alua Arthur
What would a meaningful life look like for you? According to Death Doula Alua Arthur, conversations about death can be the most enriching conversations we have. It’s not about accepting death, or avoiding grief - it’s about building a relationship with yourself and others that do ... Show More
38m 21s