Review: The Dead Janitors Club by Jeff Klima
by Jenners • 03/22/2011 • 4 Stars, D Titles, Humor, K Authors, Memoir, Non-Fiction • 54 Comments
The Dead Janitors Club by Jeff KlimaPublisher: Sourcebooks, 2010
Pages: 341
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir, Humor
Where I Got It: LibraryThing’s Early Reviewer Program
My Rating: 4 stars
Before I begin this review, it is important for you to realize that this book isn’t for everyone. In fact, let me know go so far as to issue an official caution right now.
Hopefully, the namby pambys have left the review, and it is only us profanity-loving-morbidly-curious-about-gross-jobs-dark-senses-of-humor-having readers left. So … have I got a book for you!!!
The Dead Janitors Club—which has the subtitle “Pathetically True Tales of A Crime Scene Cleanup King”—is that rare book: a horrific account of a disgusting job that is laugh-out-loud funny and full of bawdy and raunchy humor that would make some people’s toes curl. But I loved it! Without knowing it, I think I’ve been looking for a read like this for a long time—ever since I finished my beloved Gig, which is a collection of “told by the actual people” accounts of various jobs. I find learning about other people’s jobs—especially the weird ones—endlessly fascinating. Klima’s account of his few years with a “fake it till we make it” crime cleaning business scratches that itch I’ve felt ever since reading Gig.
And I’m not really overstating how graphic and gross this book can be. Not only do we learn such things as why an alcoholic’s death poops are different (and harder to clean up) than other people’s death poops, but we are also exposed to the seedy underbelly of porn fetishists, hoarders and life in a fraternity.
Klima took the crime scene cleaning job when he was attending Cal State-Fullerton and living at his frat. Barely getting by with a succession of boring retail jobs (and a stint in a porn shop), Klima is dazzled by the prospect of a six-figure income by getting in on the ground floor of a new crime scene cleaning business located in Orange County, California. Brought in as a “partner” by his boss Dirk (a local sheriff), Klima has nothing but a morbid curiosity and a desire for big bucks when he starts out. But his introduction to the field is less than perfect (a chunk of brain falls in his eye!), and things don’t improve much from there. As Klima regales us with accounts of his various “gets” in the crime scene business (mass suicide, cleaning up a child, celebrity death), we also learn that this isn’t quite the high-paying gig he expected. In fact, he spends most of the book barely getting by and scavenging goods and money from the homes of hoarders that the company is assigned to clean out.
The book—which could have easily been a litany of disgusting factoid after disgusting factoid—is saved by Klima’s considerable skills as a writer and humorist. He has a healthy sense of self-depreciation, honesty about the realities of the business and an easy-going, down-to-earth writing style that makes you feel like you’re hanging out with a primo storyteller who just happens to have a really gross job. Although there are times when you feel a sense of guilt for laughing (after all, this is real people’s bodies that Klima is cleaning up), you can relate to Klima’s pragmatic “OK, I’ve got debt coming out my ears and no money…so how can I score the most cash from cleaning up this dead guy’s brains?” As the book progresses and Klima gets increasingly burnt out and turned off by the job, I found myself (like Klima) ready to close the door on this glimpse into a part of life that many of us (fortunately) will never see.
So, to sum up, here is just a bit of what this book is about:
- dead people and the things they leave behind (including gelatinous masses, maggots, dried skin pieces, ungodly odors)
- learning to be a hustler
- why living in a fraternity when you’re 26 can end up being sad and somewhat pathetic
- why loyalty to your employers doesn’t always pay off
- why suicides should consider offing themselves in a bathroom—and staying put!
- the types of things you might find in the homes of hoarders
- why Craigslist may not be the best source for temporary employees
- how a lack of training in dealing with biohazardous material can have unfortunate side effects
- what it feels like to clean up a dead body in the bowels of Dodger Stadium
- and so much more!
If you’ve gotten this far and you’re still excited about this book, I urge you to go and get it now. You won’t be disappointed.
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Jenners… good to be back. Got here by way of Kelly. I read all kinds of crime…this one’s now on the wish list. Excellent review!
If you are a fan of crime books, this would be a good read — it is both funny and informative. I’m planning on reading another crime scene clean-up book in October so I’ll have to let you know how that one is too!
PS Just checked Goodreads. 133 books on the TBR list. Doesn’t even include the 10 I’m waiting on at the library.
That sounds like a nice healthy normal list. Probably what I have on mine, give or take a few.
Darn it! Now I have to add ANOTHER book to my TBR list. It’s huge.
Oh this one is so worth it though. I think you would LOVE this one. Sorry to add more to the TBR!
No hurry… it’s not like I don’t have TONS to read with all the challenges I’m doing! Thanks! We’ll have fun giving it away together.
It will be fun. I love when a good book gets to multiple homes.
I didn’t ignore, it really–I enjoyed its inclusion and the sense of foreboding it gave me.
I’d love to read the book, but I don’t want you to feel like you need to send it. After all, I did win a book from you last year. Still….once Mr. Jenners finishes it, if you still want to send it along, I’ll be happy to make it a give-away at my blog after we both read it and you can send your readers over for a chance at winning. (You’ll have to tell me how to do a random generator for picking the winner!).
It is a deal. But keep in mind it may take some time for Mr. Jenners to read it.
I wouldn’t make it through this book–bleah–but the review is quite entertaining!
Glad you enjoyed it … though clearly you ignored my caution sign.
Sounds both gross and enthralling!
An odd combination but very accurate!
I’ve now added this and Gig to my reading wish list. If you haven’t seen Sunshine Cleaning you should! It’s about the crime scene cleanup up biz. I liked it.
I definitely want to watch Sunshine Cleaning now. There seems to be a little genre of shows, movies and books about this area. And Gig would be great for you — little tidbits that you can read in short time spans — perfect for a new mom.
That sounds like a seriously cool (and gross) book. A nice break from chick lit, mysteries and NYT’s notable books. I am thinking it might make a good father’s day present for my hubby. Not sure what that says about him/me…
In the tradition of sort of gross books, check out The Real Animal House: The Awesomely Depraved Saga of the Fraternity That Inspired the Movie by Chris Miller. Very funny stuff.
Oooh…thanks for the tip on the frat book! It sounds like a great companion read to this book! And what wanting this book says about you and your hubby is that you like seriously gross and cool books — not a bad thing!
I think I’ve seen two different movies that revolve around crime scene “cleaner uppers”. Both were good.
I am not easily grossed out and this sounds quite entertaining (and informative). I’ve got so much on my TBR shelf right now I think I’ll just put it in my wish list at Amazon. I’ll get to it eventually. Might this end up as a give-away?
If you want, I’d love to send you my copy as as “thank you” for the book you sent me! Send me your address and I’ll get it out to you as soon as Mr. Jenners reads it (I think he would really like it.)
I’m so glad there are other warped, degenerate people in the world. I feel so much better about myself. Although I’m not sure I could handle the gore, the macabre fascination might just win out. Thanks for digging up this off-beat read.
Glad you feel better for not being the only degenrate!! And the macabre fascination part does balance out the icky parts.
Well I always seem to be fascinated by this sort of thing so this is one I would probably “enjoy”.
Yes … “enjoy” in a guilty way that you really don’t want to tell anyone about.
Jenners, I think that I would appreciate the humor too, but I wonder if there are too many graphic details for my brain to handle. Glad that you enjoyed it!
It is so graphic and icky. One phrase: gooey Grandma’s pudding.
I’d love this book. We have several tv programmes, Grimefighters being one, here in Engand which follow such clean-up teams which I admit I’m fascinated by, moreso the teams that clean up crime scenes and after unexpected deaths.
This would probably be a good match for you then! I love the name “Grimefighters!” I imagine it might make for a rather interesting (and perhaps stomach-turning) show.
Oh Jenners, you uncover some of the most fascinating and weird books that I have ever come across, and make me want to read them RIGHT NOW! I think this book does sound strangely entertaining and also deliciously gross. Like Sandy I love rude and gross things and am leaving this website to go purchase this book right now!
Oh … I love that I found another lover of the weird and gross! I’m anxiously awaiting your thoughts when you read it!!!
I’m with Alyce. I think I’d like to just hear about a few bits of it over conversation, but leave the reading of the whole thing to others! :–)
Oh you namby pamby!!!
Now see, I had several “OMG!!!” moments just reading your review, so I doubt this book is for me. I’m so curious about some of the factoids, but on the other hand, once I know them they can’t be unknown. I think in this case I’ll live in ignorant bliss.
There might be other books that provide the factoids without the “frat boy” humor and viewpoint.
did you read mary roach’s ‘stiff’? i enjoyed that, as much as one can enjoy reading a memoir about what happens to bodies after death. i’m equal parts squeamish and curious and might be impelled by your review to snap this one up. i’ll just be sure not to snack while reading it.
Oh yes I loved Stiff!! This is along those lines but funnier in a more crass way. And by all means, do not eat anything that is liquidy or gelatinous while reading this book. Just saying!
interesting choice of reading material..very interesting.
Did I ever mention that I know a guy that actually did this for a living? It paid well, as it should.
Oh how interesting. I bet your friend had lots of stories to tell. And he must have done it more professionally than Mr. Klima as he got paid well!
I love your caution sign too! I don’t know about this though, I’m somewhat mamby pamby, but I like a little gore, I see about it. I’m getting kinda bored with murders, and infidelity. Thanks..
If you’re even a little bit hesitant, then it probably isn’t for you.
Oh, this sounds so wonderfully irreverent. LOVE IT!
It is irreverent … in the best kind of way.
Oh, I am glad you enjoyed it, but am pretty sure it is not my kind of book. I love the fact that you could review it though.
It definitely isn’t a book for most people … just us weirdos! : )
It kind of reminds me of the movie ‘Sunshine Cleaning’ – where two sisters start a similar company, without any knowledge of the business (nor any pesky permits or licenses).
I can see the necessity to provide their particular services, but pray that the economy never gets so bad that I’ll have to consider it as a job lead.
Oh I kind of remember hearing about that movie. I’ll have to check it out…but pray it isn’t as graphic as this book. There is another book out there with a similar theme called Mop Men. I may just have to read that too.
This sounds like a topic I would love, but I’m nervous my gag-reflex might prohibit me from finishing it. I’m not very good with gory. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
I love your caution sign. I still read the review.
I suspected that the caution sign would not deter anyone but would actually encourage them to read on.
Granted, the bawdiness of Gods Behaving Badly just annoyed me because it didn’t seem very funny, but generally I love all things gross and rude. I mean, really, this is fascinating stuff, and they don’t ever talk about it on CSI or anything.
If Youmare a fan of gross and rude, this book is for you. I just loved it…and I’m not sure what that says about me. And this isn’t bawdy in the same way as Gods Behaving Badly…it is bawdy more like Howard Stern.