The Book Depository The Coffin Confessor by William Edgar
241 ratings
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Price: £34.56
Brand: The Book Depository
Description: The Coffin Confessor : Paperback : Penguin Random House Australia : 9781761042959 : 1761042955 : 02 Jul 2021.
Category: Books
Merchant: The Book Depository
Product ID: 9781761042959
MPN: 1761042955
GTIN: 9781761042959
Author: joanne hattersley
Rating: 5
Review: I’d seen the cover of this book on Amazon as I scrolled through new releases. I’d debated whether it was something I wanted to read, especially considering I’d lost my mum this year. Was the subject matter a little too depressing? But the title intrigued me. So, I bit the bullet, so to speak, and ordered it. Was I glad I did!!!!! The coffin confessor title says it all. He is just what he says on the book, he confesses the secrets of those in the coffin. The things they’ve always wanted to say. The things they daren`t say. He is the voice of those departed. You have something to say, he`ll say it. You have something you want removing from your house that you don’t want family to see, he’ll fix that. You want someone to help you fulfil a last wish, he’s your man. He is, as reviews say, "the man who has no respect for the living, who will do anything for the dead." The book grabbed me for two reasons. The first being the job he does. I mean, who does that job? Has anyone ever heard of someone being a ‘coffin confessor’? It’s a one of a kind profession, not something you pick up from the telephone book! The second reason I loved the book, was the intricacies of his life. This man has literally been to hell and back. William Edgar has worn many hats in his life. He’s been the son of one of Australia’s most notorious gangsters, homeless street-kid, maximum-security prisoner, hard man, family man, car thief, professional punching bag, philosopher, inventor, private investigator, victim of horrific childhood sexual abuse and an activist fighting to bring down the institutions that let it happen. He has been all of those and more but what he is, is a survivor. By wearing all those hats in his life, he was able to understand first hand, that there are people that fall through the cracks, everywhere that you look. He wants to help those people. Whether it be the grandfather who needs his tastefully decorated sex dungeon destroyed before the kids find it. Is it the woman who endured an abusive marriage for decades before finding freedom. Can he help the biker who is afraid of nothing . . . except telling the world he is in love with another man. Being a parent, can he assist the dad who desperately needs to track down his estranged daughter so he can find a way to say he’s sorry, with one final gift. This is one of the most confronting and heartbreaking books I’ve ever read. Yet, at the same time there is a heartwarming side. You find yourself cheering for this man. You want this prison hardy, car thief to come good. William Edgar tells his story in a beautiful way. He doesn’t ask for forgiveness for any of the things he’s done. He doesn’t want compassion for what he’s been through. The writing directs you to look inward at yourself and realise whatever happens, there is always light there to find.
Author: Customer Jen
Rating: 3
Review: I heard about this book on a podcast and the author talked about his coffin confessor profession, and really sold this book as a collection of all the various confessions. Instead this was heavily autobiographical and detailed on stories already told on the podcast. It contained a lot of heavily detailed and unfortunate life experiences that no one should ever have to go through, and was a difficult read that I'm not sure I can recommend to all audiences.
