Check It Out

When Someone Dies: The Practical Guide to the Logistics of Death
by Scott Taylor Smith with Michael Castleman,
Scribner, 2013
New Book Shelf: HQ1073 .S65 2013

When Someone Dies is a small book which is chock-full of practical information, advice, and checklists for what to do before, during, and after a person’s death. It is written not only for executors and trustees, although it is primarily directed towards those individuals; it is also for people want to know what things they can do ahead of time to make their death easier on their survivors.

The primary author, Scott Taylor Smith, says that he made costly and unnecessary mistakes when his mother died, because a practical book like this one did not exist. Smith is a partner at Viant Capital, a boutique investment bank and tech business. Michael Castleman is an award-winning journalist and writer. Since state laws vary, the reader who is also acting in an official capacity, such as an executor, is cautioned to consult an attorney in addition to reading this book.

Review by Ann Willard, SWC Librarian