Got this at the library book sale.

Seeking to merge the information of theologians and anthropologists, this book looks at the variety of ways in which cultures around the world deal with death and give it meaning. In some cultures, most famously Ancient Egypt, families would virtually financially ruin themselves in order to deal with the death of just one person. Other cultures such as the nomadic peoples of southern Africa, simply pull down the roof of their dwelling onto the body and move on, while the wrapped bodies in Torajan (Indonesian) houses are used as shelves. The reader is guided through such diverse areas as myths about death, belief about ways to mourn, joking at funerals, post-mortem videos, cannibalism, headhunting and royal mortuary ritual.

While this book has a lot of interesting information, I felt that it's just a little bit here, a little bit there, without much tying them together, and often mentioned in passing rather than in depth, so I end up not remembering much of anything after finishing the book. I'd rather the author go narrower and deeper.

Putting into the box. Travel well, little book!

Looks great! But I have already kept a bunch of books from this box...continuing its travels in the "history of things" book box.

Taking from 6of8's Biographies of Things bookbox. Thanks!

Overall an interesting read. So much information packed into this smallish book, at times it seemed overwhelming. This was partly because Barley presents different customs in rapid-fire succession, and I agree with Azuki that it might have been better to focus on fewer topics, but more in-depth. I did learn a lot and may want to do further research on some of the customs Barley presents.

The writing style, while mostly matter-of-fact, occasionally turns quite clever and humorous. That was enough to keep me going through the incredible amount of information, some of it very disturbing. I like to think of myself as pretty open-minded and am ashamed to admit that some of the death and burial customs were really difficult to read about.

One favorite part was about cremation and following the deceased’s wishes for spreading the ashes:
“A comforting, eco-friendly circularity can be derived from cremains used as fertilizer for some favoured plant or lawn…They can also become a weapon of offence. A museum colleague has decreed that his ashes shall be flung in the eyes of the Trustees of the British Museum…”

An undertaker, on adding things to the coffin before burial:
“They seem to see it as a journey to a foreign country where you may not be able to get some of the things you have here.” He has seen a variety of things slipped in by the surviving spouse, including digestive biscuits, reading glasses, and false teeth.

On its way to Perryfran via booklady331's Nonfiction VBB. Hope you enjoy it!

Thanks for sending this from the Nonfiction VBB. Looks interesting!

Don't think I will be reading this one anytime soon so left at the LFL on Castleview Drive in Elk Grove. Hope someone will enjoy it!

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