Tag: Cemetery Book

Cemetery Book Review: Unusual Gravestones

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One of my favorite things about visiting cemeteries is that you never know what you are going to find, and that’s exactly what this month’s cemetery book review is all about. 

Unusual Gravestones by Martin and Claire Nicholson is a collection of unusual and interesting gravestones that this couple has photographed over the years. The Nicholson’s seem like kindred spirits, as they both enjoy photographing and documenting cemeteries and have been doing so for quite some time. They have added an interesting element to their graveyard wandering, they call it “competitive grave-hunting”. 

Here is a synopsis of the book from Goodreads: 

“The authors have viewed millions of gravestones, and are offering readers a selection of the rare and unusual gravestones that they have seen, with full-color illustrations. Each category of type of gravestone, age of person, cause of death, rare names, and errors found on gravestones are given a points score to indicate rarity.”

  • Unusual Gravestones by Martin and Claire Nicholson

Published in 2015, this small softcover book is a collection of Martin and Claire Nicholson’s Cemetery Project. They began this project looking specifically for centenarians, those who reached the age of 100 years or more. Along the way, they discovered other unique gravestones. They separate their finds based on age, marriage, cause and manner of death as well as shape and material of the gravestone among other things. They have assigned a point system to all of these identifiers. It’s interesting to note that gravestone symbols don’t feature in their point system, as they seem to focus on epitaphs more than anything else. 

It’s a pretty interesting concept and not something I can say I have ever thought of doing. The book features color photographs that highlight some very unique gravestones. Sometimes only showing the relevant engraved epitaphs. 

The Nicholsons seem to be based in the UK, as this book and their accompanying website highlight many cemeteries and gravestones in that area. I found it interesting to see what kind of gravestones can be found in that part of the world. I thought it was a nice touch that they included a list of helpful tips for grave-hunting. However, I will note that I always prefer overcast days for cemetery visits as a photographer.

Although I think this book could use a little design polish, it is a fun little read and could be a good way to add a little competitive edge to your outings. The point system is well laid out in the book, with accompanying examples. It would be easy to adopt it for yourself or use it as a starting point for developing your own system. As the authors note in the introduction, some graveyards will have more commonalities than others, and I have found that the same can be said for whole geographic locations.

What do you think? Is this something you already do on your cemetery visits? Will you be adding Unusual Gravestones to your reading list? I would love to read your thoughts in the comments. 

Thanks for reading! 

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.

Cemetery Book Review: Cemetery Mapping Techniques & Applications

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Are you starting to think about Spring and Summer projects already? Chomping at the bit to get back out into the field, visiting cemeteries? I know I am. The snow is gone, and the weather is warming up, which has me daydreaming about cemetery road trips. Maybe you have some bigger projects in mind, like mapping out a local cemetery?

I might just have the perfect book recommendation for you!

Recently, Robert Perry, also known as the Bone Finder, reached out to me about reviewing a book. He had seen one of my previous book reviews and thought I might be interested in reviewing his new book Cemetery Mapping Techniques & Applications, an illustrated reference guide. Perry describes his book as a training manual for cemeterians and professionals that service the cemetery industry. I received a free advanced PDF copy of the book, in exchange for an honest review. 

Robert “Bob” Perry is a specialist in cemetery geophysics and has many years of experience using ground-penetrating radar to locate unmarked graves. He has worked with more than 500 cemeteries within the United States, as well as law enforcement and paranormal investigators. Perry has also been featured on the History Channel, the Travel Channel, and Destination America.1

Published in 2022 by Topo Graphix LLC, Cemetery Mapping Techniques & Applications provides readers with a hands-on approach to field mapping a cemetery, using both field-mapping techniques and the basics of mapping software.

Here is a snippet of the synopsis from the author’s website:

“This publication covers all phases of cemetery mapping, from site surveying and computerized drafting to the software applications used every day in the business. This one-of-a-kind publication includes tutorials on subjects such as field mapping, scanning, and redrafting old cemetery maps, and how ground-penetrating radar is used to locate unmarked graves and open burial spaces.”

  • Boo cover for Cemetery Mapping Techniques & Applications by Robert Perry

Currently, this book is only available as a limited-edition spiral-bound field manual that can only be purchased through the author’s website, topographix.com. I’m not going got lie, it is a little pricy. The author did share with me that a less expensive perfect-bound version and PDF version will be coming out soon. The advanced PDF version I received features full-colour images, illustrations, and diagrams and is 132 pages. The book also contains four detailed cemetery map examples at the back.

Although it has a short page count, this book holds a lot of information. The chapters on how to use various mapping software are very thorough, walking readers through step-by-step. The software heavily featured in the book are CorelDRAW and AutoCAD, both software I have heard of but have never used. I am however very familiar with Adobe Illustrator—I am a graphic designer by trade. Because of my familiarity with that program, which is briefly mentioned in the book, I was able to follow along fairly easily with the walk-throughs. CorelDRAW does seem to have similar features and capabilities, albeit they are named differently. 

Although I have no aspirations to ever map out a cemetery, it is interesting to see how much work and detail goes into it. The sections I found most interesting were the pieces around the author’s background and experience, as well as the case studies explored later in the book. The how-to piece is of course the main focus of the book, but the case studies show why creating these maps and doing that work is important. They are also interesting, like the example of the vampire grave! The case studies do well to illustrate the why, but I found they were very short. I would have liked to see those examples expanded upon a little bit more. 

Overall, I found Cemetery Mapping Techniques & Applications a great introduction to the software programs used in the field of cemetery mapping. It’s an informative how-to and starting point for those looking to create their own cemetery maps. This would be a great resource for tech-savvy folks who are looking to get into the field of cemetery mapping, or cemetery groups looking to map their respective cemeteries. 

Is cemetery mapping something you are interested in getting into? Do you think there should be more resources like this available on the market? Don’t be shy to share your thoughts in the comments.

Thanks for reading! 

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.

References:

1. How-To Guide on Cemetery Mapping Techniques Released | The American Surveyor

Cemetery Book Review: Gone to the Grave

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Being a Canadian, I am not 100% familiar with American history and customs. Luckily, there are MANY books written about it, and I do love to read. This month’s cemetery book review is Gone to the Grave: Burial Customs of the Arkansas Ozarks, 1850—1950 by Abby Burnett. I first learned about this book through the AGS Book Club, as this book was the pick for July 2023.

Published in 2014 by University Press of Mississippi, Gone to the Grave is written by Abby Burnett, a former freelance newspaper reporter and columnist for The Springdale News. At one time, her writing was food-focused, about understanding food and learning how to cook. Over time, her focus has shifted to death and burial practices.1 In an article for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Burnett said, 

“I’ve always loved cemeteries, and started seriously exploring ones in the Arkansas Ozarks about 25 years ago.”

Gone to the Grave is a collected work, the culmination of years of lectures, short newspaper articles, historical society journals, Arkansas Encyclopedia entries, and Gravestone Studies publications.1 It’s a very well-researched look into not only the burial customs of the residents of the Arkansas Ozarks, but also an in-depth look into deathcare and undertaking practices, health, and community life between 1850—1950. 

Here is part of the book synopsis, from Goodreads:

“Gone to the Grave, a meticulous autopsy of this now vanished way of life and death, documents mourning and practical rituals through interviews, diaries and reminiscences, obituaries, and a wide variety of other sources. Abby Burnett covers attempts to stave off death; passings that, for various reasons, could not be mourned according to tradition; factors contributing to high maternal and infant mortality; and how loss was expressed through obituaries and epitaphs. A concluding chapter examines early undertaking practices and the many angles funeral industry professionals worked to convince the public of the need for their services.”

  • Gone to the Grave book cover
    Gone to the Grave: Burial Customs of the Arkansas Ozarks, 1850-1950 by Abby Burnett

This book is fairly dense, but not the heaviest read I have come across recently. I am not going to lie, it did take me some time to work my way through it. It’s filled with black and white photos, including some post-mortem photographs. A big part of the author’s research includes diaries and interviews, with snippets printed verbatim to reveal what it was like to be a part of the funerals and burials at the time. I found these first-hand accounts fascinating. Death is a part of life, and reading about how a community would come together to sit up with the sick and dying, and everything that comes after a passing is eye-opening. Today, death is such a taboo that it’s not talked about, and we forget that it’s something that everyone goes through.

Learning more about these practices emphasizes how much things have changed. My uncle passed away in his home a few years ago. He had cancer and was spending his last days at home with his family. Two of my aunts went over to visit him, unknowingly on the day that he passed away. They knocked on his door, and his wife told them that he had just passed. They stayed to console his wife and visit with him one last time. Both of my aunts found the whole experience very surreal, as they had only ever visited deceased loved ones in a funeral home. But, that’s how wakes and funerals were done in the past, set up in the parlor of the deceased’s own home.

The practices discussed in the book are associated very specifically with the Arkansas Ozarks, it would be interesting to compare how different the practices are from other parts of the world. I often wondered as I read, if the customs described would have been much different than what customs were like here in Ontario around the same time. 

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It covers a lot of information, but I found it was well-connected and flowed together well. This book is a deep dive, and as such might be too heavy for a casual reader. I read some reviews where people compared it to a textbook, which understandably might not be for everyone. I wouldn’t go that far, but it does get close to that territory. So, if you are looking for that kind of in-depth, high-level information, this may be the perfect book for you.

Have you read Gone to the Grave? What did you think? I would love to read your thoughts in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

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.

References:

  1. Gone (Back) To The Grave: Author Abby Burnett studies Buffalo River cemeteries | Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Cemetery Book Review: Mapping & Documenting Cemeteries

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For this month’s book review, I wanted to share something a little different. I first learned about this book through the Association for Gravestone Studies online shop. Unfortunately, the online shop will be closing soon, but at one time this book was available as part of a Gravestone Experts package. 

I always sort of glossed over it, as I always thought that it was not a book for me. When it was announced that it would be the May 2023 pick for the AGS Book Club, it was my push to give it a read. So for today’s review, I wanted to share Mapping & Documenting Cemeteries, Second Edition by Pamela Goffinet.

This book is a little bit different than what I normally review. I have reviewed a reference book or two, but the majority of the books I have reviewed have focused on history and photography. After reading this book, I thought there might be many others who would benefit from this type of content. Mapping & Documenting Cemeteries, first published in 2013, is as its title notes, an excellent how-to guidebook for mapping and documenting cemeteries. 

Here is a short synopsis from Goodreads: “This is a practical how-to book that guides the reader through the process of mapping and documenting a cemetery with easily available tools and basic skills. Included are instructions on creating a map, gathering an inscription database, and assembling a spreadsheet of related information, such as from deeds. Lots of illustrations and easy to understand. Written by a professional cartographer, this book is a must for historians, genealogists, or anyone interested in preserving the information found in cemeteries.”

  • Mapping & Documenting Cemeteries, Second Edition by Pamela Goffinet

This second edition softcover packs a lot of information into a short page count, coming in at only 96 pages. It’s filled with black and white photographs and figures illustrating the mapping approaches discussed so that even those who do not have a brain for math or geography can understand. You also do not need any fancy technology to use the techniques described in the book. There is a handy checklist of all the basic items you would need to complete the project, that are also budget-friendly.

Mapping & Documenting Cemeteries covers gravestone mapping basics, working with lot maps, as well as how to draft your own map. This step-by-step guide takes you through the whole process of how to make an accurate cemetery lot map, as well as documenting gravestone inscriptions and other related data.  

Although I have no plans to map out a cemetery, I did still find this book useful, in particular the chapter on gathering gravestone inscriptions. As someone who often uploads my cemetery photographs to Find A Grave and transcribes the gravestones, there is some handy information about how to deal with partial inscriptions and the like. There are also some really handy tips on how to make gravestone inscriptions more legible when you’re in the field, to help better document them. 

The only thing I didn’t like about the book, is that there is some repetition where it talks about tools. The information is important, but I feel like it could be structured in a different way to reduce the redundancy. 

Overall, I did enjoy this book and found it interesting to learn what goes into mapping a cemetery. I think this would be a great resource for those working on cemetery projects that involve the need to map and plot out a cemetery. I think this would also be a good read for those looking to get into cemetery preservation. I realize with all our modern technology there may be apps and programs for this sort of thing, but going back to basics could be a good starting point to get fledgling projects off the ground. 

Have you read Mapping & Documenting Cemeteries? I would love to hear your thoughts about it.

Thanks for reading! 

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.

References:

  1. Mapping & Documenting Cemeteries | Goodreads

Cemetery Book Review: Sacred Ground, Volume Two

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I hinted last week that I had been working on another cemetery book review for you. For this month’s book review, I wanted to share Sacred Ground, Loyalist Cemeteries of Eastern Ontario, Volume Two by Stuart Lyall Manson.

Sacred Ground, Volume Two continues the author’s exploration of United Empire Loyalists buried in loyalist cemeteries in Canada. This volume looks at five cemeteries in the Eastern Ontario County of Glengarry, and one other in Cornwall, Ontario. I was very excited when Stuart reached out, asking if I would be interested in reviewing his second book on loyalist cemeteries. You might remember a previous blog post I wrote, reviewing his first book, Sacred Ground: Loyalist Cemeteries of Eastern Ontario, Volume One.  

Stuart Lyall Manson is a professional research historian with over 25 years of experience and is also a heritage cemetery advocate.1 His second book Sacred Ground, Volume Two just came out in September of this year. He graciously provided me with a PDF version of his book to review. This book, also available in softcover, is 214 pages and contains color as well as black and white images. 

Here is the book synopsis from Goodreads:

“The second volume of the book series Sacred Ground: Loyalist Cemeteries of Eastern Ontario continues the approach of the first volume, describing notable loyalist cemeteries situated in Eastern Ontario. This volume covers cemeteries in the counties of Stormont and Glengarry. It is a collection of detailed profiles of a selection of these historical locations in the region. In each chapter, the author discusses, in-depth, a single cemetery containing the mortal remains of at least one loyalist. A historical overview is provided of each of these burial grounds, along with biographical information on specific loyalists with particularly remarkable stories. The locations were selected based on geographic distribution, religious diversity, and other factors. The book is based on rigorous primary and secondary source research. It complements other publications that list burials or transcribe tombstone inscriptions. Those publications are important resources. This book supplements that basic data with greater historical context and additional research into the lives and experiences of these men, women, and children who laid the foundations of modern Ontario. This volume includes the following cemeteries:

  • St. Andrew’s United Cemetery (Williamstown)
  • St. John’s Presbyterian Cemetery (Cornwall)
  • Falkner Settlement Cemetery (South Lancaster)
  • Salem United Cemetery (Summerstown)
  • St. Raphael’s Cemetery (St. Raphael’s)
  • Gleninore Cemetery (Charlottenburgh)”
  • Sacred Ground, Loyalist Cemeteries of Eastern Ontario, Volume Two by Stuart Lyall Manson.

I enjoyed this book. The author digs deep to uncover the lives of those who have been forgotten by many. I liked the fact that the author does not shy away from explaining that this type of research can be quite difficult when many people have the same names and full details are not always written out. I can just imagine the rabbit holes of research one had to go down to pull it all together.

As well as providing life stories and timelines of those buried, Volume Two also looks at the story of the cemeteries themselves. The one that stands out the most to me is St. John’s Presbyterian Cemetery in the city of Cornwall. A beautiful cairn was constructed with the remaining gravestones in the 1930’s. In 2017, with hardly any notice the cairn was demolished, destroying most of the remaining gravestones. Today there is only an empty lot where this cemetery sits. Without this kind of research and documentation, these sites may be lost to time, but the author has done an amazing job of collecting old photographs and piecing together the history of this site for future generations. 

As I’ve mentioned before, I always jump at the chance to read about Canadian cemeteries. There is so much history to be found here, and you don’t have to travel far to find it. Accompanying each chapter is a smattering of maps, letters, and photographs of interesting gravestones and beautiful ruins. At the end of each chapter, I found myself saying “I have to visit this one!”. For this reason, I also loved that the locations of each cemetery were included as an appendix at the back of the book. Cemetery name, location, and even coordinates are included.

Just as I recommended the first book in this series, Volume Two would be a valuable read to anyone interested in learning more about Canadian history and the indelible mark left by United Empire Loyalists. This would also be a good book to pick up if you are planning some cemetery road trips in the future. As I did with Volume One, I have already added these cemeteries to my Google maps for future trip planning. 

Will you be adding this book to your TBR list? Or better yet, have you already read it? I would love to hear what you think in the comments.

Thanks for reading! 

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.

References:

  1. Home | Stuart Lyall Manson’s website

Cemetery Book Review: Stories in Stone

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For this month’s cemetery book review, I wanted to talk about Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography by Douglas Keister. I have been meaning to share this one for a while now. This is one of my favorite cemetery books, and one of my go-to reference books when it comes to looking up symbolism. I see it pop up now and then on the cemetery side of Instagram and Facebook and thought I should finally share my thoughts on it. 

This book has been on my bookshelf for a very long time and it is something I go back to over and over again. It is a great resource for explaining the meaning and history behind most of the symbolism and iconography you will come across in a cemetery. Every symbol has a meaning, and the descriptions can range from simple to quite in-depth. The book itself is compact, so it’s easy to slip it into your hiking or camera bag if you want to take it with you on your cemetery travels. It’s filled with full-color photos as well to help identify all the variety of symbols you might come across. 

Here is a snippet of the book synopsis from Goodreads.com: “Stories in Stone provides history along with images of a wide variety of common and not-so-common cemetery symbols and offers an in-depth examination of stone relics and the personal and intimate details they display; flora and fauna, religious icons, society symbols, and final impressions of how the deceased wished to be remembered. Douglas Keister has created a practical field guide that is compact and portable, perfect for those interested in family histories and genealogical research.”

I don’t recall where I picked up my copy, but it is a reference I use often. I never bring mine with me on my cemetery travels, but my cloth-bound hardcover copy has a special place at my desk for easy access when I need to look something up. This book covers iconography from A to Z, as well as the different art styles and architecture that can be found in cemeteries. It covers everything from religious and military symbols to fraternal organizations and secret societies. Douglas Keister is also an amazing photographer and his beautiful color photos of detailed gravestone symbols add depth to the descriptions. It also has a very thorough index at the back, which is very handy for moving back and forth throughout the book. 

The name Douglas Keister may sound familiar to you. This is not the first book of his that I have reviewed. Back in July 2022, I reviewed his book Going out in Style: The Architecture of Eternity. You can read that review here. Douglas is no stranger to cemeteries and has written quite a few books about them. He is a photographer, author, and co-author of forty-five critically acclaimed books, twenty-five of which are on architecture.2

I highly recommend this book to any budding taphophiles and those interested in learning more about cemetery symbolism and history. This book would be a handy tool for genealogists as well, as many interesting and thoughtful things can be learned about the deceased based on what is on their gravestone.

This book has been an invaluable resource for me. I have always loved learning more about the stories that gravestones can tell us, and finding new symbols to research and learn about is one of my favorite things. It’s a beautiful, high quality book, that I think is an essential addition to any taphophiles library. 

Have your read Stories in Stone? I would love to read your thoughts in the comments.

Thanks for reading! 

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.

References:

  1. Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography | Goodreads.com
  2. About Douglas Keister | DouglasKeister.com

Cemetery Book Review: The Rural Cemetery Movement

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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.”

  • The Rural Cemetery Movement: Places of Paradox in Nineteenth-Century America by Jeffery Smith

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! 

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.

References:

  1. The Rural Cemetery Movement | Goodreads.com

Cemetery Book Review: Cemetery Reflections

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I recently had an author reach out to me, asking if I would be interested in reviewing her book Cemetery Reflections and if it would be a good fit. She described her book as a pairing of photographs with epitaphs, poetry, and prose; giving a slightly different slant to a typical walk through a cemetery. I thought it would be a perfect fit! So for this month’s cemetery book review, I wanted to share my thoughts about Cemetery Reflections by Jane Hopkins.

Cemetery Reflections looks at the beauty and emotion that accompanies cemetery visits and is meant to be read in bits and pieces, as a cemetery walk would be. This new book was published in the fall of 2022, by Headstone Press. This is Jane’s first cemetery photography book, but she is no stranger to photography. Her fine art photography has been exhibited and sold since 2002, at many venues including the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, New York, and the Dyer Arts Center at the Rochester Institute of Technology.1 

I was already familiar with Jane’s work, having seen her beautiful photographs on various cemetery social media accounts that I follow. I was very excited when she reached out and asked me to review her book. She was also very gracious and provided me with a beautiful paperback copy to read. 

Here is the book synopsis from Goodreads: “Stroll through three centuries of American cemeteries through photographic images, historic poetry, and memorable prose. The reader will find stunning photos in both black-and-white and color. Paired with the images are poignant passages drawn from timeless literature and sensitive recollections of family losses. The cemetery emerges as a place of solace, where final and loving farewells may rest safely among the tombstones.

This book offers a compassionate context that deepens awareness of the experience of death. Devotees of art, history, poetry, and philosophy will find Cemetery Reflections a mesmerizing journey. Grief is intense and lonely, dying can be frightening and sometimes painful beyond expectation, and the “great beyond” remains a mystery. The pandemic and recent violence in the US have brought issues of death to the forefront. People are searching for ways to better understand and cope with challenges that once seemed far distant. Cemetery Reflections can provide a valuable assist in this process.”2

  • Cemetery Reflections by Jane Hopkins.

This is a beautiful, high-quality softcover photography book. It’s filled with full-color and black-and-white photographs alongside beautiful poetry, epitaphs, and musings. It is very different than the books I have been reading lately. I loved that it showcases American cemeteries alongside Canadian ones. I also love the variety of the photography, from detailed shots of grave goods to lovely cemetery landscapes, and everything in between. 

Cemetery Reflections feels like a contemplative walk through a cemetery. I found each epitaph, poem, and beautiful photograph encouraged self-reflection and exploration of my own understanding of grief and remembrance. At times it is a very emotional read.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in fine art photography, poetry, and cemetery walks. Because of the self-reflective nature of this book, I would also recommend it to those who may be grieving a loss, as well as those who might find cemeteries and death uncomfortable. They might find its heartfelt and thoughtful messages to be healing.

Have you read Cemetery Reflections? Do you agree with my review? Or will you be adding it to your reading list? I would love to read your thoughts in the comments. 

Thanks for reading! 

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.

References:

  1. Author Bio | Cemetery Reflections
  2. Cemetery Reflections | Goodreads.com

Cemetery Book Review: Corpses, Coffins and Crypts

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For this month’s cemetery book review, I wanted to talk about Corpses, Coffins, and Crypts: A History of Burial by Penny Colman. This was the October selection of the AGS book club last year. I had never read this author before and was excited to dive into this one.

Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:

“Drawing on extensive historical and anthropological research, personal accounts, and interviews with people who work in the funeral industry, Penny Colman examines the compelling subjects of death and burial across cultures and societies. The text, enriched with stories both humorous and poignant, includes details about the decomposition and embalming processes (an adult corpse buried six feet deep without a coffin will usually take five to ten years to turn into a skeleton) and describes the various customs associated with containing remains (the Igala people in Nigeria have a custom of burying people in as many as twenty-seven layers of clothing). Intriguing facts are revealed at every turn; for example, in Madagascar winter was considered the corpse-turning season.

This comprehensive book also includes a list of burial sites of famous people, images in the arts associated with death, fascinating epitaphs and gravestone carvings, a chronology, a glossary, and over a hundred black-and-white photographs, most of which were taken by the author.

Penny Colman writes with compassion and intelligence and humanizes the difficult subjects of death and burial. The result is a powerful look at an inevitable part of life—death.”

  • book cover of Corpses, Coffins and Crypts by Penny Colman
    Corpses, Coffins and Crypts: A History of Burial by Penny Colman.

This book touches on so many facets of death and burial. I enjoyed the way the author weaved in her own personal stories and experiences with death. It added a very personal touch. This book is also filled with beautiful black-and-white photographs that accentuate the content. I was lucky enough to find a reasonably affordable copy on Thrift Books. My copy is a previously loved hardcover library book, that is beautifully laid out. It has a wonderful flow that makes it a very easy read, and hard to put down.

This would be a great introduction for those who are interested in death and burial but may be bit intimidated by heavy reading. Colman touches on so many different aspects of death and burial, in a way that holds your attention and connects you to the history. I love that a handy chronology and glossary is also included at the back of the book. 

I would highly recommend this book for those who are curious about death and burial practices, as well as seasoned taphophiles! It has a little something for everyone.

Have you read this book? Did you enjoy it? I would love to read your thoughts in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

I am always on the hunt for cemetery-related book recommendations. Please feel free to share 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.

References:

  1. Corpses, Coffins, and Crypts: A History of Burial | Goodreads.com

Cemetery Book Review: Death’s Garden Revisited

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For my first book review of 2023, I wanted to talk about Death’s Garden Revisited, edited by Loren Rhoads. I’ve been looking forward to reading this book since early last year. I follow Loren on social media and was excited to hear she was editing another installment of Death’s Garden. I was an early backer for the Kickstarter campaign to bring this book to life. It was so fun to follow along on its journey. 

Here is the synopsis from Blurb.com: “Death’s Garden Revisited collects 40 powerful personal essays—accompanied by full-color photographs—to illuminate the reasons people visit cemeteries. Spanning the globe from Iceland to Argentina and from Portland to Prague, Death’s Garden Revisited explores the complex web of relationships between the living and those who have passed before. Genealogists and geocachers, travelers and tour guides, anthropologists, historians, pagan priestesses, and ghost hunters all venture into cemeteries in these essays. Along the way, they discover that cemeteries don’t only provide a rewarding end to a pilgrimage, they can be the perfect location for a first date or a wedding, the highlight of a family vacation, a cure for depression, and the best possible place to grasp history. Not to mention that cemetery-grown fruit is the sweetest.”

  • Death’s Garden Revisited, edited by Loren Rhoads

I received my copy, a beautiful softcover edition, in early November of last year. It’s 8 x 10 size really shows off the full-color photography that accompanies each essay. The short essay format, and writing styles create an enjoyable, and easy reading experience. If you are short on time, it’s easy to pick up and read an essay or two. I also enjoyed the range—from first-date stories to geocaching expeditions—each story shares personal insights into how easy it is to fall in love with cemeteries. Each personal story is so unique and at the same time so relatable, in my opinion. I loved these glimpses into others’ relationships with cemeteries. It made me feel less alone, and more comfortable in the fact that my own relationship with cemeteries isn’t that out of the ordinary. 

There was also one essay that I found pleasantly surprising! As a Canadian taphophile, I rarely read stories about Canadian cemeteries, as there seems to be much more literature on the historic cemeteries of Europe and the United States. So I was caught off guard when I found myself reading about a small cemetery that I had visited this past summer, in the small town of Massey, Ontario.

That particular essay did make me realize that not all the photos correspond to the essays they precede and follow. I had started reading the book with that assumption in mind, and when I read that essay, the photos that accompanied it made me question whether or not I had missed some stunning statuary when I had visited. After referring to the photo credits, it turned out that the image was indeed from a different cemetery. Just something to keep in mind as you read.

This is such an enjoyable read that runs the gamut of emotions. I think there may be a story for everyone in here. This would be a great book for someone interested in learning more about why people are so drawn to cemeteries. It’s also a great read for taphophiles, especially for those who are looking for kinship. You are not alone. There is a whole community of people who love cemeteries, each for their own unique reasons. 

Have you read Death’s Garden Revisited? I would love to read your thoughts in the comments. I am also always looking for cemetery-related book recommendations. Please feel free to also share any book suggestions 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.

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. Death’s Garden Revisited | Blurb