For this month’s cemetery book review, I wanted to share something a little different. A Mortal’s Guide to Cemeteries: A Morbid Activity Book for the Blossoming Taphophile by Amanda R. Woomer is not your typical history book—it’s an interactive, hands-on guide designed to turn every cemetery visit into an adventure.
Published by Spook-Eats Publishing, this unique book blends history, symbolism, and engaging activities, making it a great read for anyone looking to deepen their cemetery appreciation in a fun and personal way. Whether you’re a seasoned taphophile or just beginning to explore the world of gravestones, this book provides plenty of ways to interact with the past.
Here is a part of the book synopsis from Amazon:
“Part history book, part symbolism guide, and part activity book, A Mortal’s Guide to Cemeteries encourages readers to break the binding, dog-ear their favorite pages, and take notes as they start wandering through their local cemeteries in an attempt to better acquaint themselves with the concept of death.
Armed with this book, readers will be able to understand the seemingly secret language of gravestones while also respectfully interacting with the graves they find with such activities as Spot a Grave, Sketch a Grave, and the Cemetery Bucket List.”
This softcover book is divided into three sections; history, symbolism, and the largest section—activities. Woomer does a great job of providing a concise yet fascinating introduction to burial practices before diving into the meanings behind common gravestone symbols. But where this book really shines, is in it’s interactive elements—things like Sketch a Grave and the Cemetery Bucket List make exploring cemeteries like a treasure hunt for history lovers.
One of my favorite aspects is how the book encourages you to take notes, sketch what you see, and truly engage with your surroundings. The black-and-white photographs sprinkled throughout are especially helpful for identifying gravestone symbols, making it a useful companion for cemetery visits.
If I had one small critique, it would be the layout. I found myself flipping back and forth between the symbolism section and the activity pages quite a bit. It might have been a little more user-friendly if the symbol descriptions were integrated directly into the activities to save time.
That being said, the Cemetery Bucket List is such a fun addition! I would’ve loved a few blank spaces to add personal cemetery bucket list items, but it’s still a great way to track your explorations.
Overall, if you have even the slightest curiosity about cemeteries, symbolism, or just looking for something interactive, A Mortal’s Guide is a great starting point. It’s a creative, hands-on way to make your cemetery visits more meaningful—and a great addition to any taphophiles collection.
Thanks for reading!
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!
Cemetery Photography by Chantal Larochelle 