For this month’s book review, I want to share Graves of the Great & Famous. I actually received this book as a Christmas gift from my nephew last year, and I have to say, it was a perfect gift! It’s the kind of book that immediately made me want to start flipping through the pages.

The book, written by Alastair Horne and published in 2022, is a fairly recent release. It’s a fresh addition to any collection for those who enjoy exploring history through graves.

Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:

“From Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, and Princess Diana to Napoleon Bonaparte, Eva Peron, and John Gotti, this book provides a guide to the graves of some of the most renowned figures (good and bad) throughout history. Some, such as communist leaders Ho Chi Minh and Vladimir Lenin, are interred in great mausoleums, where they are visited by millions each year; others are buried in little-known country graveyards.”

One of the first things that stood out to me about this book is just how beautiful it is. It’s filled with full-colour photographs of graves from around the world, making it as much fun to flip through as it is to sit down and read.

It’s a fairly compact guide, but it manages to pack in a lot of detail without ever feeling overwhelming. The only thing I didn’t love was the way it breaks up the main entries with small grave highlights, which sometimes meant flipping back and forth between sections. Not a huge issue, but a bit distracting at times.

Overall, I found it to be a quick and engaging read. It’s one of those books you can pick up for a few minutes and still feel like you’ve learned something new. The stories themselves are fascinating! Some are scandalous or mysterious, while others are deeply heartfelt. One that really stayed with me was the story of Diane Fossey, the primatologist who dedicated her life to studying mountain gorillas. She’s buried in the graveyard she established for the gorillas she worked so closely with, which feels both moving and fitting. The book is filled with stories like that. Some you may already know, and others you might never have heard before.

I think anyone curious about where famous people are buried would really enjoy this book. Cemetery enthusiasts, history buffs, or even casual readers who love a good grave story will find something to appreciate here. For me, it’s the kind of book I know I’ll return to again, to flip through the photos and rediscover the stories.

Have you read Graves of the Great & Famous? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Thanks for reading! 

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I am always on the hunt for cemetery-related book recommendations. 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!