Brookfield, Wis. – This month, the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) will release the ninth edition of “The History of American Funeral Directing” by Robert Habenstein and William Lamers.
“We are extremely pleased to release this new edition that features enhanced readability and comprehension,” said NFDA Director of Education Carmella Hansen. “This is book used by more than 40 mortuary schools each year to help students understand and appreciate the remarkable history of funeral service.”
This richly illustrated 415-page book has been fully-edited, updated and newly organized and provides a comprehensive look at the history of funeral service in the United States.
The new edition includes:
- Updated chapters: Institutional Growth and Modern Associational Developments, and The Panorama of Modern Funeral Practice
- Up-to-date industry statistics using the latest research and data from sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Board of Funeral Service Education
- An updated “Future – Overview” section using the most recent data projections
In his preface, Chris Raymond, editor of the ninth edition, writes, “Since its initial publication more than 60 years ago, ‘The History of American Funeral Directing’ by Robert Habenstein and William Lamers has proven indispensable to funeral service professionals, mortuary science students and scholars alike … [It] continues the mission established long ago by the National Funeral Directors Association of chronicling and sharing the crucial role played by the select group of men and women who care for both the living and the dead – then, now and always.”
The cost of the ninth edition of “The History of American Funeral Directing” is $70 (ISBN# 978-0-692-12056-9). The book can be purchased online through the NFDA Resource Store, www.nfda.org/store (NFDA product code BK583), or by calling the association at 800-228-6332.
NFDA plans to introduce “The History of American Funeral Directing” as an e-book; information about the e-book will be announced in the months to come.
NFDA is the world’s leading and largest funeral service association, serving more than 20,000 individual members who represent nearly 11,000 funeral homes in the United States and 49 countries around the world. NFDA is the trusted leader, beacon for ethics and the strongest advocate for the profession. NFDA is the association of choice because it offers funeral professionals comprehensive educational resources, tools to manage successful businesses, guidance to become pillars in their communities and the expertise to foster future generations of funeral professionals. NFDA is headquartered in Brookfield, Wis., and has an office in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.nfda.org.
