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  • Personal Effects

  • What Recovering the Dead Teaches Me About Caring for the Living
  • By: Robert A. Jensen
  • Narrated by: Adam Barr, Robert A. Jensen
  • Length: 9 hrs and 46 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (80 ratings)
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Personal Effects cover art

Personal Effects

By: Robert A. Jensen
Narrated by: Adam Barr,Robert A. Jensen
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Summary

This program includes an introduction read by the author.

The owner of the world’s leading disaster management company chronicles the unseen world behind the yellow tape, and explores what it means to be human after a lifetime of caring for the dead.

You have seen Robert A. Jensen—you just never knew it. As the owner of the world’s largest disaster management company, he has spent most of his adult life responding to tragedy. From the Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11, and the Bali bombings, to the 2004 South Asian Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, the 2010 Haitian Earthquake, and the Grenfell Tower Fire, Jensen has been at the practical level of international incidents, assisting with the recovery of bodies, identifying victims, and repatriating and returning their personal effects to the surviving family members. He is also, crucially, involved in the emotional recovery that comes after a disaster: helping guide the families, governments, and companies involved, telling them what to expect and managing the unmanageable. As he explains, “If journalists write the first rough draft of history, I put the punctuation on the past.”

Personal Effects is an unsparing, up-close look at the difficult work Jensen does behind the yellow tape and the lessons he learned there. The chronicle of an almost impossible and grim job, Personal Effects also tells Jensen’s own story—how he came to this line of work, how he manages the chaos that is his life, and the personal toll the repeated exposure to mass death brings, in becoming what GQ called “the best at the worst job in the world.”

A rare glimpse into a world we all see but many know nothing about, Personal Effects is an inspiring and heartwarming story of survival and the importance of moving forward, Jensen allows his listeners to see over his shoulder as he responds to disaster sites, uncovers the deceased, and cares for families to show how a strong will and desire to do good can become a path through the worst the world can throw at us.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press

©2021 Robert A. Jensen (P)2021 Macmillan Audio

What listeners say about Personal Effects

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Rarely have I listened to such a horror

Yeuch, yeuch and yeuch again.
Horrible man, horrible narration. Audible says I cannot return it. I listened hoping it would improve. The book is about him not about forensics. Its me, me, me. Do yourself a favour and don't buy this crap

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Good subject but slightly skewed

After a few hours of listening I came to the conclusion that Mr Jensen thinks it is rare to find anyone either competent or caring apart from himself, which is a shame as otherwise it was a good book. Perhaps it was just the writing style?
Speaking of which, it could also do with a bit of editing as it was one of those books where chapters could be read as standalone volumes which means a bit of repetition through out as you progress through the book as a whole.

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Good listen.

I was a bit concerned about this in terms of potentially upsetting details. There is some of that but there is also a lot of compassion and humanity, it is also fascinating (and not at all mawkish).

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An insight into the unknown

I found the book to be a fascinating insight into privatised work I never thought existed. A lot of lessons learnt along the way and a lot of tragedies recalled.

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Behind the scenes of a little known profession

Undertaking the unspeakable. Someone has to do this kind of work and this gives a glimpse into the working life of one such person.

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Fascinating

I really enjoyed this fascinating insight into a profession I did not know existed. I really hope Mr Jensen writes more books about his experiences

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An unexpectedly good book!

I found the respectful tone of this book really refreshing as it could have been filled with salacious detail. A really good review of how different governments and companies were/were not ready for disasters. And the small notes on how to look after yourself are life changing. Definitely worth a listen. The narration sets the perfect tone for this book as well.

One note though - I listened to this before a transatlantic flight and regret the timing! Don’t do that to yourself

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Interesting but could do with editing

The subject of this book is fascinating, but it feels like the author- who isn’t a professional writer and has a busy job- was shortchanged by their editor. As a result, the structure of the book is hard to follow, passages are repetitive and in places, the language is pompous and full of cliches.. I didn’t like the narration- possibly my personal preference but I experienced it as amplifying the cliches and tone at times.

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Amazing read

What Robert has achieved both in life and literature is something short of masterpieces. It’s beautifully sad but so relatable

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Extraordinary

I've never thought about the people who go in after disasters have happened to recover bodies, identify remains and save belongings for families, partners, and children left behind. This is one of the most fascinating books I've ever 'listened' to. The author is so matter-of-fact yet so humane and empathetic. It's interesting how someone can do that job requiring nerves of steel, discipline, and organization yet at the same time be so sensitive, thoughtful, and kind to people touched by tragedy. And so many tragedies - pretty much everything in the last several decades from Grenfell to the Tsunami. I'm very glad he wrote the book as now I'm just that bit more aware. Thank you for the job you do.

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