Trauma Cleaner

Title: The Trauma Cleaner: One Woman's Extraordinary Life in the Business of Death, Decay, and Disaster

Author: Sarah Krasnostein

Genre: Non-fictioin

Rating: 3/5- Good. Read it, have a good time and move on. Or not.

Book Source: Library

What Its About:  
Sarah Krasnostein offers a look into the life of Sandra Pankhurst, a transgender woman who was adopted at an early age, named Peter, and then systematically abused and mistreated until he was old enough to run away.

Pankhurst struggled to find her place in the world, marrying and having children, spending time as a drag queen, and trying to fulfill her role as a responsible father and husband. Eventually, Pankhurst needed to accept herself and underwent gender reassignment surgery, spending years as a sex worker to support herself during her mental and physical transition.

Pankhurst married again later in life and established herself as a well-known and respected businesswoman in her home town. However, after the family business failed and Pankhurst's husband died, she found herself focusing on her strengths. She opened a cleaning business, which segued to fill a noticeable gap in her area, trauma clean-up.

Krasnostein alternates between chapters about Pankhurst's life and stories of the homes they enter to assist in cleaning, either due to hoarding, death, or other catastrophes. She speaks lovingly of Sandra Pankhurst, displaying a deep friendship and a respect for the life that Pankhurst has survived. And acknowledging the kindness and caring that Pankhurst shares could only have come from experiencing a life such as hers.

The Bottom Line: 
This was a good read. I was a bit disappointed in the limited discussion of the clients and their situations. The majority of the book, and truly the story, is Pankhurst's history which is extremely interesting. She is a strong, amazing woman. I found a YouTube video of an interview with her and you are left really respecting and liking her. But, I really was hoping for more info about the trauma side of the business. I just can't return to those trauma YouTube videos!