Silent Cities: the Evolution of the American Cemetery by Kenneth Jackson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This reference book (so-called because the photos are reproduced too small to be enjoyed without a magnifying glass) is chock-full of fascinating cemetery minutiae. Spanning from the first churchyard burials in America to the modern rise in cremation, exploring the differences in tomb decoration in various ethnic burial grounds, defining architectural movements, and studying reflections of American culture in grave monuments: the book rushes through a breathless amount of material. Four to seven crisp full-color photographs crowd each page. If you are curious about understanding what you see as you wander the local boneyard, this encyclopedia will get you started.
This review originally appeared on Gothic.Net.
You can sometimes find used copies on Amazon: Silent Cities: the Evolution of the American Cemetery
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