Cemetery-related Books and More
Epitaphs: A Dying Art
Edited by Samuel Fanous
Oxford: Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, 2016
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Don't be fooled by the small and almost-delicate size of this tome. At first glance, it may seem like something from a vanity press, where all the care was put into making the cover look pretty and the inside was thrown together by someone who wanted to say they "wrote a book." I'm sorry to say that this was my first impression of the book. It was small and pretty with a mourning angel draped over a stone on the cover. I'd been pulled in by a book on epitaphs before, only to find one epitaph per page and no information about where it was from. That, my friends, was a vanity pressing. Fanous' book is not.

"Epitaphs" is thin and small, easy to carry around or drop in your bag. But it's what's inside that is surprisingly vast. The epitaphs themselves are from all over the world, though a good number of them are from England and America. To say Fanous has done his homework is an understatement. He has not only collected these epitaphs from his own cemetery wanderings, he's also done his research. "While some of the epitaphs in this book are from tombstones, others are from memorial inscriptions, sometimes composed and erected centuries after the death," he notes in his introduction.

The epitaphs have been organized by themes:
  • Long Life, Love & Friendship
  • Occupations & Professions
  • Let Us Now Praise Famous Men – and Women
  • Elegiac, Poignant, & Plaintive
  • Peculiar, Gothic, Whimsical, & Absurd
  • Violent or Untimely Death
  • Literary Epitaphs

I particularly enjoy the epitaphs that tell stories. One tells of a man who fell to his death while coming down from a church steeple, and he was buried where he landed and died.

Some of the epitaphs are amusing, some are poignant and some merely explain what happened. Fanous note where each of them is located but doesn't go into other details so that the "final words" can speak for themselves.

I leave you with Fanous' words: "Epitaphs retain their power to move us. In the record of their struggles, joys, tragedies, and triumphs we recognize our own experiences and the essential elements that characterize human nature across the span of time and culture."

This will make a great addition to any taphophile's library.

Reviewed by Minda Powers-Douglas (8/18/16)


Evergreen in the City of Angels: A History of a Los Angeles Cemetery
by the Studio for Southern California History
(multiple contributors)
Los Angeles, Calif.: Studio for Southern California History, 2014
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While doing research for my book on the graves of silent film actresses, I pulled out my copy of "Evergreen in the City of Angels." Since it was about an LA cemetery, I thought there'd be a good chance a silent star was buried there. And I was right! African-American actress Louise Beavers is interred there. And while she is mostly known for her TV role as the title character in "Beaulah," her career started way back in the era of the silents.

After looking up her information for my own book, I started going through the book to rediscover its own merits.

The cemetery (see Atlas Obscura for an article on Evergreen) is located at 204 North Evergreen Avenue in LA. The cover of the book is not one of your traditional cemetery book covers, featuring a beautiful landscape or image of striking monument. What it does show is representative of the state Evergreen has been in for far too long. The cover photo is of a chain-link fence topped with barbed wire, a graffiti-covered sign stating the cemetery's pedestrian gate hours (and another on the back cover of a no trespassing sign, also covered in graffiti). There are also a few gravestones in the image and a couple of palm trees, but it's clear that the contributors of the book wanted to show the hardships of this burial ground inside their city.

The book isn't all doom and gloom, though. It's actually a lovely homage to the cemetery and its residents. It contains history, poetry, contributions by family members of those interred there, as well as beautiful photography. This book was a labor of love.

I received this book from Studio for Southern California History after donating to their successful Kickstarter campaign. I am so glad they were able to hit their goal and produce this second edition of their book. If you are interested in a cemetery book that features a group's love of a cemetery as well as the usual information that goes into one, this will be a great book for you.

Available through Amazon and other booksellers.

Reviewed by Minda Powers-Douglas (1/3/16)

Burden of Wings
Mauro Marinelli
Heidelberg, Germany: Kehrer Verlag, 2015

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The most unique thing about Mauro Marinelli's book of cemetery photography is the medium he selected to express himself. Rather than the traditional methods of film or digital photography, Marinelli chose Polaroid. The effect is spectral and poetic

Marinelli says, "When I first started this project, I began by shooting in black and white with a 35mm camera. I could see the potential for a photo project, but the images had too much information; that is, the images were too sharp, the statuary was only statuary, too dour, too maudlin. Not how I felt about cemeteries at all."

It wasn't until he grabbed the Polaroid camera from his truck that he used "for tracking purposes on my construction sites" that he discovered what he wanted to say and how. "I loved how the Polaroid interpreted what I saw."

The book itself feels like an art exhibition. This is fitting since there was an exhibition of his photography at the Italian American Heritage Museum in Albany, New York, earlier this year. Due to the plastic lens, many of the photos have a soft look. Some look like they were taken years ago. Still, some of the images are surprisingly crisp.

Some of the photos focus on the art of the gravestones, while others focus on the shadows or even an idea. Each of them are quite meditative.

If you'd like to find a book that allows you to contemplate cemetery photography in a different light, so to speak, "Burdens of Wings" is a good choice. There's barely any text until you get the end, which allows you to fully absorb the photos without distraction. The only thing I wish he had included was noting which photos were taken in which cemetery. He includes a list of cemeteries on page 109, but there's no way to know where each of the photos was taken unless you know the cemeteries well enough to recognize them.

Now I want to go out and get a Polaroid camera and start taking pictures.

Reviewed by Minda Powers-Douglas (8/5/15)

Jewelry Keepsakes  Pendant Review

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Jewelry Keepsakes is known for their cremation jewelry, including cremation pendants, rings and bracelets. They are perfect for cherishing cremains of your beloved ones. But did you know they also have picture engraved jewelry? I didn't, either! Until I was given the opportunity to get one of my very own.

First, I selected the pendant of my choice (the round pendant in silver). Then I emailed them a photo of my husband and daughter from my daughter's recent birthday. It was going to be a test of their detail work, since my daughter had had her face painted that day, and she had a pretty design on her face. I didn't know if that would fly with them, but I thought I'd try because I love the photo. It turned out to be no problem.

Within two days, a package appeared at my door. I thought, "There's no way it's here already." But it was! And the pendant turned out beautifully.

Because the pendant is so shiny, the photos I've taken of it don't do it justice. I kept getting a glare, but take my word for it, there is a lot of detail in that image.

I asked for the pendant (which is 1" in diameter) and a 22" premium silver matching chain. The set is lovely. I also had it engraved on the back with my husband and daughter's names with the date of her birthday. (BTW, they are both alive and well!)

The cost for the photo engraved pendant was $39.95 (including photo engraving and lettering), and the premium chain was $18.99 (though you can opt for the matching silver 20" chain that comes included in the pendant's price). Your item will usually ship out to you within 24 hours, which is amazing since these are so personalized.

Note that my pendant is NOT a cremation pendant. Jewelry Keepsakes DOES have cremation photo engraved pendants, but they do cost more ($109.95 each).

The quality of these pendants and the craftsmanship are excellent. I imagine the urn jewelry is just as well-made. I recommend you check out their site if you are interested in cremation jewelry or would like an engraved keepsake of someone in your family, living or deceased.

Stones and Bones of New England: A Guide to Unusual Historic and Otherwise Notable Cemeteries
Lisa Rogak
Guilford, Conn.: The Globe Pequot Press, 2004

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I've had this book a while and look at it regularly. It's marked with various sticky tabs that hold the place of something interesting that caught my eye sometimes years ago. It's the perfect book for quick reference and to take along with you when you travel around New England.

Not every gravestone listed has a photo, and that's okay. Sometimes the story is better than an image. In this way, words can be worth a hundred pictures. One such grave is that of an unknown Confederate soldier who was mistakenly shipped to the small town of Gray, Maine. Even though the townspeople did not know who he was and he fought against the Union, the people believed he deserved "a respectful and dignified burial." He forever rests in the town cemetery under a simple marble tombstone with this inscription: "Stranger, a soldier of the late war died 1862, erected by the Ladies of Gray."

Ms. Rogak has collected fascinating stories and a number of photos of various graves from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. She includes the grave site of a horse, the mastermind of the "greatest show on Earth" (P.T. Barnum), artist Norman Rockwell, one of the most haunted cemeteries in Massachusetts (Spider Gate Cemetery/Old Quaker Cemetery in Leicester), a "witch's grave" in York, Maine (unrelated to the Salem Witch Trials), and many more.

This is a great book to read all the way through or pick up and read a few pages (or graves) at a time. It's filled with interesting tidbits of history as well as entertaining anecdotes--two of the things I love.

Reviewed by Minda Powers-Douglas (5/29/13)

The Empire of Death: A Cultural History of Ossuaries and
Charnel Houses
Paul Koudounaris
London: Thames and Hudson, 2011

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This is a fabulous looking book and justifies its price. I had already read excerpts from it in a magazine and was looking forward to reading it in its entirety.

It’s beautifully illustrated with over 290 illustrations, including 260 photos by the author, and he has done his research thoroughly. Most serious taphophiles will probably have heard of or visited ossuaries such as Sedlec, near Prague or Hythe in the UK, but this book will tell you of others of which you might not know.

In our modern world, I often feel that we are embarrassed by death and try to erase it from our lives. Maybe that’s why so many ossuaries have vanished despite being popular as a memento mori for future generations to be reminded of their inevitable fate. Our ancestors lived more closely with death than we do. High infant mortality rates, epidemics such as cholera and plague meant that people prepared for death and it reached its zenith in the Victorian era with the Magnificent 7 London cemeteries and the cult of mourning.

Koudounaris says in the lengthy and informative introduction that adults would visit the local charnel house with their children and show them the skulls of their ancestors as an introduction to their family history. Charnel houses were usually built on consecrated ground and the bones within them were considered blessed as they would be resurrected on Judgement Day. The author claims that the skull and crossbones symbol also symbolises the promise of resurrection. Another popular motto was ‘Che la morte chiude le pose del tempo e apre quelle dell’eternita’ translated as ‘Death closes the gates of time and opens those of eternity’.

He guides us through the beginnings of charnel houses at St Catherine’s Monastery in Egypt. It possessed a very small cemetery and hence the bones of the departed had to be put somewhere and then onto the 12th century in Germany where churches were required to provide ossuaries within their burial grounds before continuing through Austria, Bavaria and the Upper Rhine. Initially, although usually a pile of skulls, it then became common practice to use them and the bones to create elaborate displays or paint them with the names and dates of the deceased.

Another variation was the beautiful, ornate bejewelled skeletons found on display in German and Bavarian churches. These are usually the remains of magnificent martyrs and their relics and must be a breathtaking sight to see in the flesh.

He also discusses the decline of the great charnel houses and ossuaries as attitudes to death changed and we lost our connection to our ancestors. Dead bodies should be underground and not on view to be gawped at. However, the celebrated Paris catacombs still remain and the book’s title ‘The Empire of Death’ comes from the sign over its entrance in which visitors were reminded that this was the realm they were entering. People would often pray to the dead for aid or even lottery numbers so they still saw the remains as sacred and able to assist their descendants in some way. Indeed one photo shows a group of skulls with candy, cigarettes and fruits at a charnel house tomb in Peru which was constructed in 1972 by Enrique Belon. The Killing Fields in Cambodia also have a memorial stupa of skulls on display of those who died under the reign of Pol Pot. A former orchard near Phnom Penh contains remains of 9000 people. A powerful reminder of death and the horrors of dictatorship.

I recently visited the ossuary in the crypt of St Leonard’s near Hythe UK and found it fascinating to look at the skulls and bones on display and wonder about their lives, how they died and the information they give us about their diet and how they lived.

There is a very useful list of sites at the back of the book which gave me 2 more sites within the UK to visit which I hadn’t know about previously and I intend to visit one in the City of London very soon.

A book I would highly recommend to any taphophile who wants to add to their knowledge in this field. However, there was one quibble. The small, Gothic print which rendered some of the text difficult to read and also the technique of printing onto a dark background which had the same effect.

Reviewed by Carole Tyrrell (2/18/13)

Atlanta's Oakland Cemetery: An Illustrated History and Guide
Ren and Helen Davis
Atlanta: University of Georgia Press, 2012

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"Atlanta's Oakland Cemetery" is the kind of book I wish I had written (and photographed). It is not only an absolutely beautiful book, it's full of information about Oakland as well as helpful cemetery information in general. Chock full of gorgeous full-color photography, this books takes you into this historic cemetery even if you are reading it hundreds of miles away from this impressive cemetery.

The book is introduced by Timothy J. Crimmins, professor of History at Georgia State University. He is also the director of the Center for Neighborhood and Metropolitan Studies. "Established as a burial ground, the Atlanta City Cemetery," Dr. Crimmins writes, "acquired greater cultural and material significance because of its hilly location and the course of its development. Twenty-two years after its establishment, with expansions, the erection of monuments, and the growth of a cover of oak trees, the cemetery was renamed Oakland. It had become a garden cemetery with artistic monuments."

There is a short history on how the Atlanta City Cemetery, established in 1837, became Historic Oakland. The book also takes the reader on a "tour by sections" throughout the grounds. From Bell Tower Ridge to the Confederate Memorial Grounds to the African American Grounds, you'll get an in-depth look at this historic gem in the middle of Atlanta.

But it's not just the cemetery as a burial ground or historic sculpture park that you'll be introduced to. You will also come to understand the important role Oakland plays in the surrounding community. Oakland offers a variety of tours, including those featuring actors portraying the "residents during their Halloween Tour. There's also the annual Run Like Hell race and Run Like Heck fun run. There seems to always be something fun and fascinating going on in Oakland Cemetery.

If you go to the cemetery, make your first stop the office and shop. Not only can you buy some wonderful items and books, you can also get some great tips on where to look from the volunteers.

This is an A+ book on an A+ cemetery. It's well worth the cover price of $24.95.

Reviewed by Minda Powers-Douglas (12/10/12)

Carved in Stone: The Artistry of Early New England Gravestones
Thomas E. Gilson and William Gilson
Middleton, Conn.: Wesleyan University Press, 2012

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"Carved in Stone" is a lovely book. It's a beautiful hardcover book filled with strong, stately images from early New England gravestones. No surprise there! But what makes this book's images stand out is how they almost "pop" off the pages. A number books of featuring these kinds of old stones offer more "clinical" images. Don't get me wrong, I haven't come across a book of gravestones that haven't been interesting. I just really like these photos!

Another thing about this book that I like is that it is personal. Rather than an informational-only approach, there are quotes from journals and other writings of the times of the stones. There is also William Gilson's introductory essay. He writes, "The original New England Puritans, those of the first two or three generations, were half in love with death. You can't focus so intently on something, obsess about it with such flexed attention, without some part of you desiring it." I think this is something all taphophiles can relate to on some level. We contemplate death on a more regular basis because we surround ourselves with it. Perhaps we aren't necessarily thinking of our own deaths, but we do have an acute awareness not everyone has.

I am always happy to see a book filled with gravestone images because they are a beautiful and important part of our history and heritage--and also because they aren't as permanent as we'd like to think. As William Gilson writes, "The stones remain out there, stuck in the New England dirt, deteriorating as any man-made thing must, ultimately vanishing."

"Carved in Stone" is available in hardcover or eBook.

Reviewed by Minda Powers-Douglas (12/4/12)

A Biographical Guide to Forest Hill Cemetery : The Ordinary and Famous Women and Men Who Shaped Madison and the World - Vol. I and II
The Forest Hill Cemetery Committee of HMI
Madison, Wis.: Historic Madison, Inc., 2002

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This set of books is based on research by the Forest Hill Cemetery Committee of Historic Madison, Inc. They were published in 2002, which was made possible by a grant from the Evjue Foundation.

These are the kind of books everyone wishes were written about their favorite cemeteries. They are filled with information about many of the "residents" of Forest Hill, which is a beautiful Victorian/garden cemetery that was established in 1857, when the city bought the first tract of land. I have been to this cemetery, and it is a lovely and lush green space. It is also the final resting place of many prominent citizens and even more non-prominent but no less important citizens.

The books contain a variety black and white photos, ranging from those of the grounds, close-ups of headstones, maps, and images from the city's historical archives. A very nice touch is the inclusion of oral histories. These books are a revised and expanded edition of the original book, which had been written by members of the Cemetery Committee--in particular Henry Carl "Hank" Soder and Frank Custer, who had passed away by the time of this publishing.

Reviewed by Minda Powers-Douglas (8/25/12)

Cemetery Travels Notebook
Photography by Loren Rhoads
San Francisco: Automatism Press 2012

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Loren Rhoads' "Cemetery Travels Notebook" is the perfect notebook for a taphophile. It's a lined notebook for all your note-taking needs, and it's also filled with beautiful full-color photos of monuments from the U.S. and beyond.

According to Ms. Rhoads, it's a great place "to keep field notes from your own cemetery adventures." It's also just a nice journal for writers inspired by great statuary.

The journal consists of 80 lined pages and 20 full-page color photos from Paris, Tokyo, Sleepy Hollow, San Francisco and more. Ms. Rhoads is the editor of Death's Garden: Relationships with Cemeteries and writes the blog at CemeteryTravel.com.

Reviewed by Minda Powers-Douglas (8/23/12)

The Victorian Cemetery
Sarah Rutherford
Oxford, UK: Shire Books, 2009

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This little book is a wonderful introduction to the background behind the creation of the great garden cemeteries of the 19th century.  As with most Victorian institutions, from hospitals to asylums, they were introduced to bring order to death and the afterlife as they replaced the unpleasant and unsanitary churchyards.  These couldn’t cope with the rapidly expanding cities and the resulting high mortality rate and had become a national scandal.  So in their place came the wide open spaces, imaginative plantings, landscape design and architecture that we can still appreciate today.  A vast contrast to the modern version we see now with its tombstones often arranged like upstanding teeth.

Rutherford, a project leader on English Heritage’s assessment of cemeteries across England, sets the Victorian cemetery in its context of the Industrial Revolution, commercial enterprise and a class system that lasted after death with pauper burials and ‘guinea graves.’  The planned Grand National Cemetery at Primrose Hill in North London  was never realised and instead commercially owned cemeteries opening in all the major UK cities including London’s ‘Magnificent 7’. 

She also discusses the styles of architecture; neo-Greek, Egyptian until Gothic was settled on as the most appropriate. The great designers of cemeteries including John Claudius Loudon are assessed as are the elements that make a successful cemetery.  She also brings the reader up to date with the decline of the great burial places into neglect, abandonment by their owners and vandalism before being rescued by Friends groups.

Profusely illustrated with archive documents and modern photos featuring cemeteries from Calcutta, New Orleans, Paris, Dublin, Milan and the UK it would make a great gift for a new taphophile or as an addition to the bookshelf of an experienced graveyard rabbit.

Reviewed by Carole Tyrrell (posted 8/15/12)

Laughter & Tears
Robert E. Pike
Eatonton, New Jersey: H-H Press, 1971

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The book is called Laughter & Tears, by Robert E. Pike. It's published by H-H Press, 365 Pine Street, Eatontown, NJ 07724. Inside it says "Copyright 1971" and "This edition consists of 1000 copies."

I found the book advertised in Weird NJ Magazine, issue #9, way back in 1999. The book is a collection of photographs of humorous, odd and unusual gravestone inscriptions and carvings. In most cases, each page contains one photo. There are 129 pages. Every copy of the book is autographed.

The advertisement in the magazine (1999) said to send $15 plus $3 postage and handling to:
Pike
365 Pine St.
Eatontown, NJ 07724

I sent the money and received the book with a photocopied obituary of the author. There was also a note from the author's daughter on it, saying that her father died just as the Weird NJ magazine was going to press. She signed and dated her note to me. She may or may not have some of the books left. I suppose it's possible. It may be worth writing her.
If I were to look for one today I would go on BookFinder.com and search for it. (Search on 8/15/12 BookFinder results.)

Reviewed by Barry Caselli (posted on 8/15/12)

The Whole Death Catalog: A Lively Guide to the Bitter End
Harold Schechter
New York: Ballantine Books, 2009

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When you see the name "The Whole Death Catalog," you may think you're in for a dry read. But if you're interested in cemeteries and things having to do with death (and there are more of us out there than people realize), you will find this book fascinating and fun.

Schechter has done very thorough resarch across a variety of death-related topics, from death anxiety and end-of-life experiences to strange bequests and famous last words. But it's not only the information that is great, Schechter's writing style is inviting and humorous. He takes a very serious topic and makes it approachable and respectable.

Throughout the book, there are side boxes featuring recommended reading and resources, death definitions, death quizzes and fun facts. And many of then are in tombstone-shaped boxes.

The only thing I'd change about the book is the mention of Epitaphs Magazine--yeah, this Epitaphs Magazine! Before I go into it, I must tell you that it's an honor to be included in "The Whole Death Catalog." Unfortunately, the information I gave Harold after his gracious request is now out-of-date. The magazine is no longer in print, is now monthly (not quarterly) and the online version is free (some print versions are available for purchase, though). We no longer offer traditional print subscriptions. I also wish www.TheCemeteryClub.com had been mentioned along with it, because the PO Box listed is no longer in use. All this being said, it's so cool to be included in this terrific book!

I highly recommend that you add this book to your taphophile library.

Reviewed by Minda Powers-Douglas (8/16/11)

Cypress Lawn: Guardian of California's Heritage
Cindy Ehrlich (editor), Michael E. Richards (photographer)
San Francisco: Cypress Lawn, 1996

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Read Loren Rhoads' review at GoodReads.com.

Healing: The Essential Guide to Helping Others Overcome Grief & Loss"
Alicia King
Nashville: Turner Publishing, 2011

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Alicia King's book "Healing: The Essential Guide to Helping Others Overcome Grief & Loss" is just the type of book people need. When a family member, friend or co-worker losses someone they love, it's difficult to know how to act around the person, let alone help them.

When a friend losses a loved one, it's natural for us to start talking about the losses we've had in our lives. But, as King points out, "it's not about you." She also addresses the mistakes people tend to make (even though they don't mean to) and a number of ways people can help the grief-stricken.

Another thing about the book that hit home for me is that our society seems to think that grief is something we can deal with immediately and then put away in an old shoe box or dismiss all together. It is viewed as very generous for a company to offer employees up to five days bereavement leave; not all do. But if we expect, as a society, that people will have "grieved enough" in that small period of time, that is terribly unfair. A person's life has ended--an entire life--and getting over the loss can take a lifetime. There is no timeline to grief.

I also appreciate how the book has been arranged. The chapters are brief, so that you can pick the book up and read for a little while and still get a good amount of information. She also ends each chapter with a quick summary and resources for further information.

King writes with honesty and the conviction of wanting to help people through this difficult and all-too-present fact of life.

Reviewed by Minda Powers-Douglas (7/24/11)

Forever L.A.: A Field Guide to Los Angeles Area Cemeteries & Their Residents
Douglas Keister
Layton, Utah: Gibbs Smith, 2010

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Anyone who has taken any of my classes knows I'm a huge fan of Douglas Keister's books. Stories in Stone is one of my mainstay books on my shelf, in my research and in the field. Forever L.A. is a happy addition to my collection--especially since I (sadly) haven't been to see any Los Angeles cemeteries.

Not only does the book cover information and history about a variety of cemeteries, it also includes information about cemetery symbolism and architecture, secret societies and even GPS coordinates for a number of gravesites. Top that off with some incredible color photos and put it all in a compact yet well-constructed paperback you can easily fit in your bag, and you've got a great book for a taphophile.

Keister features such great cemeteries as Hollywood Forever, Forest Lawn Memorial Park - Glendale, Valhalla Memorial Park, and Los Angeles Pet Memorial Park. It also covers, surprisingly, the Haunted Mansion's pretend cemetery in Disneyland. If you've been to the amusement park and have gone on the ride (which is spectacular, by the way), you have probably seen the faux gravesones for the fakely departed humans and animals "buried" around the Haunted Mansion grounds. Names such as I. Truly Departed and M.T. Tomb can be found and laughed about as you wait in the clever queue. I think this addition to a book on cemeteries in the land of make-believe (and I'm talking about L.A. here) is fitting.

If you are planning a trip to L.A., you will definitely want to take this book with you.

Reviewed by Minda Powers-Douglas (4/23/11)

Do You Have a Book You'd Like Reviewed?


If you've written a book about cemeteries you'd like to submit to TheCemeteryClub.com to be reviewed, contact Minda at minda.epitaphsmag@gmail.com for more information.

Have a Book You Want to Review?

Submit a book review about a cemetery book you've read! Books can be new releases or vintage, as long as they are cemetery-related non-fiction. Send your submissions to Minda at minda.epitaphsmag@gmail.com.

Books Reviewed

'Stories in Stone New York' Excerpt

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Read this excerpt from Douglas Keister's book "Stories in Stone New York: A Field Guide to New York City Area Cemeteries & Their Residents."

Epitaphs to Remember: Remarkable Inscriptions from New England Gravestones

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Janet Green
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania: Alan C. Hood & Company, First Edition edition (March 22, 2005)

Just as the title states, this book contains a variety of epitaphs from New England cemeteries--about 200 cemeteries, to be exact. If you're looking for a collection of interesting epitaphs, this is the book for you.

The book is broken into sections, including:
 - Through 1775: Pioneer and Colonial Life
 - 1776 to 1815: War, Reason and Revivalism
 - 1816to 1870: The Age of Ferment
 - 1871 to the Present: The Big New World

While it has no photos, it does include a number of small drawings representing the symbols found on the gravestones.

An enjoyable read and a nice addition to your cemetery book collection, especially if you are interested in epitaphs.

Reviewed by Minda Powers-Douglas (8/19/12)

Dusty Diablos: Folklore, Iconography, Assemblage, Ole!
Michael deMeng
Northlight Books, 2010

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I happened upon this wonderful art book at Barnes & Noble today. I love collage and "junk" art. This book combines technique instruction, inspiration, folklore and personal stories by the author. One of the projects he shares is inspired by Mexican cemeteries, which is initially what triggered me into thinking of sharing this with my taphophile friends. I also know many of you are artists and interested in unique things. Check out this book; I think you'll be as delighted and inspired as I was.

Reviewed by Minda Powers-Douglas (8/25/12)

Criminal Crafts: From D.I.Y. to F.B.I. Outlaw Projects for Scoundrels, Cheats, and Armchair Detectives
Shawn Bowman
Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2012

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This is another artsy craftsy book I found today. This one is perfect for the mystery and crime drama lovers out there.

For taphophiles, the best projects are the "'It's Your Funeral' Stamp Set." With small pieces of linoleum, you can carve out stampers of gravestones, a hearse and more. And "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" is so cute, I can't believe I didn't think of it myself (you make assorted gravestones out of polymer baking clay with stakes in the bottom of them ... to put in your potted plants, of course!).

Other adorably criminal projects include making a "Crime Scene Carpet" (area rug, white spray paint and a body to trace around), "Crime Scene Tape Messenger Bag," "Crime Scene Gingerbread Men" (are you detecting a theme yet?), and a "Case-the-Joint Craft Caddy" made out of a violin case, ala mobster style.

Whether you are into crafting or just want to pick up the book for a laugh, I recommend it if you have a twisted to very twisted sense of humor. And if you do buy this book, feel free to make some cool criminal crafts and send them my way!

Reviewed by Minda Powers-Douglas (8/25/12)

List of Cemetery-related Books

The following is a list of cemetery books, both in and out of print. The list is for reference only. You may be able to find them on Amazon or eBay or even at a local used book store. If you have titles you would like added to the list, send the to minda.epitaphsmag@gmail.com.

- "Arlington National Cemetery" (Images of America), by George Dodge
- "Burial Records 1811-1980 of the Western Cemetery in Portland, Maine" by William B. Jordan, Jr.
- "Graveyard: The True Story of a Haunted New England Cemetery" by Ed and Lorraine Warren
- "The Matter Lies Deeper" (New Ulm, MN) by Elroy E. Ebl, 2004
- "Monroe County Mississippi Cemetery Records" by Dr. W. A. Evans, 1980
Last update 8/18/16
Copyright Minda Powers-Douglas 2004-2016
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