David Sloane, a professor at the University of Southern California and author specializing in cemeteries, shares his unique journey growing up in one. He discusses the surprising business challenges cemeteries face today, including what happens when they go bankrupt. The podcast explores evolving attitudes toward death, from communal mourning rituals of the past to contemporary, isolated grief experiences. Sloane highlights historical burial practices, financial struggles, and community responses to cemetery closures, making for a thought-provoking conversation on mortality.