Today’s cemetery-related book review is another AGS Bookclub pick; The Rural Cemetery Movement: Places of Paradox in Nineteenth-Century America by Jeffery Smith. I found this one very fascinating and wanted to share my thoughts. 

I was looking forward to reading this one. I am very interested in the different types of cemeteries and graveyards that exist. I haven’t had the chance to visit many rural cemeteries, also sometimes called garden cemeteries. I have visited only a handful of them, but I look forward to visiting more after having read this.  

The Rural Cemetery Movement was published in 2017 and is available in three different formats; hardcover, softcover, and a kindle edition. I was able to find a paperback edition on Amazon.ca. It’s filled with lovely black-and-white photos as well as some detailed cemetery maps. 

Here is a snippet of the book synopsis from Goodreads.com: “The Rural Cemetery Movement: Places of Paradox in Nineteenth-Century America breaks new ground in the history of cemeteries in the nineteenth century. This book examines these “rural” cemeteries modeled after Mount Auburn that were founded between the 1830s and 1850s. As such, it provides a new way of thinking about these spaces and a new paradigm for seeing and visiting them. While they fulfilled the sacred function of burial, they were first and foremost businesses. The landscape and design, regulation of gravestones, appearance, and rhetoric furthered their role as a business that provided necessary services in cities that went well beyond merely burying bodies. They provided urban green spaces and respites from urban life, established institutions where people could craft their roles in collective memory, and served as prototypes for both urban planning and city parks.”

This fascinating book is incredibly well-researched and takes an in-depth look into the rise of the rural cemetery movement. It details the gradual shift and impacts it had on urban planning and ultimately the business of cemeteries. Essentially this is a book of essays that look at different aspects of the rural cemetery and its effects on burial and cemeteries worldwide. It’s full of fascinating history about the creation and layout of garden cemeteries and the effect they had on other landscapes, such as what we know today as public parks. I found it also fascinating to read about the effort that went into creating the look of rural cemeteries and how the rules and regulations evolved to maintain that look. There is also an interesting section on cemetery tours and how some were created as marketing tools before a cemetery was even opened!

I found the content so interesting that I devoured this one pretty quickly. It’s well-researched and written at a high level but still very graspable which made it an excellent read. I found the added photographs and maps a nice touch as well. There are also extensive notes and a bibliography if you are interested in further reading. 

I extremely enjoyed this book. It’s a great resource for those looking for information specifically about garden cemeteries. This would also be a good read for those interested in learning more about different styles of cemeteries, or anyone interested in a behind-the-scenes look at how cemeteries operate and the business of cemeteries. 

There are not many garden cemeteries in my local area, but I know I will be thinking about this book the next time I do visit one. Have you read The Rural Cemetery Movement? If not, will you be adding it to your reading list? Do you have a favorite garden cemetery? I would love to read your thoughts in the comments. 

Thanks for reading! 

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I am always on the hunt for cemetery-related book recommendations. Please feel free to share yours in the comments. If you are an author and have a cemetery-related book you would like me to review, please reach out at hello@chantallarochelle.ca. I would love to hear from you.

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References:

1. The Rural Cemetery Movement | Goodreads.com