Nonfiction

Over My Dead Body: Unearthing the Hidden History of America’s Cemeteries

Over My Dead Body: Unearthing the Hidden History of America’s Cemeteries

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  • Create Date：2022-10-29 17:21:36
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Greg Melville
  • ISBN：1419754858
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Reviews

Jacqueline Short ，

Not the typical topic you’d want to read an entire book about but Greg keeps it interesting enough to not want to put it down。 I enjoyed the history lessons he gives and very much appreciate the attention he shares on racial inequality when is comes to the disposal of nonwhite American remains。 As he discusses the intimate details of one’s life after death， it forces you to reflect and possibly change your mind on your own funeral wishes。

Dolly ，

I won this on Good ReadsIn “Over My Dead Body”， Greg Melville exceeded my expectations。 Yes， I got the history of various graveyards about the country， but there was so much more。 He covered the culture that each one was founded in， their expectations after death， and changes in mortuary practices。 Melville touches on slavery， segregation， immigration， native American relationships， disease/pandemics， and， of course， war。 Each chapter needs to be pondered upon。 A great read for those of us who l I won this on Good ReadsIn “Over My Dead Body”， Greg Melville exceeded my expectations。 Yes， I got the history of various graveyards about the country， but there was so much more。 He covered the culture that each one was founded in， their expectations after death， and changes in mortuary practices。 Melville touches on slavery， segregation， immigration， native American relationships， disease/pandemics， and， of course， war。 Each chapter needs to be pondered upon。 A great read for those of us who love graveyards， and those who only think of them on Halloween。 。。。more

Kate Grabowski ，

Over My Dead Body felt like an early fall road trip to New England， despite only about half of the graveyards covered in the book being located in the Northeastern states。 Greg Meville mastered the balance between nonfiction and intrigue， keeping the reader entertained while being informed about some of the most overlooked but frequent aspects of our society—burial grounds。 I truly enjoyed every chapter of this book， to the point where I would wake up early to read it。 Meville’s sarcastic jokes Over My Dead Body felt like an early fall road trip to New England， despite only about half of the graveyards covered in the book being located in the Northeastern states。 Greg Meville mastered the balance between nonfiction and intrigue， keeping the reader entertained while being informed about some of the most overlooked but frequent aspects of our society—burial grounds。 I truly enjoyed every chapter of this book， to the point where I would wake up early to read it。 Meville’s sarcastic jokes mix perfectly with his ability to discuss the darker parts of our history to create a book that presents facts into swallowable pills。I have a feeling this might be one of those books that I get the urge to read with the season， as it perfectly encapsulates the feeling of fall。 Something I would never expect from a nonfiction book。My favorite chapters:- Monticello’s African American Graveyard - Charlottesville， Virginia- Sleep Hollow Cemetery - Concord， Massachusetts- Central Park - New York， New York- Arlington National Cemetery - Arlington， Virginia- Forest Lawn Memorial-Park - Glenwood， California- The Chapel of Chimes - Oakland， California 。。。more

Lauren Stoolfire ，

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。Over My Dead Body: Unearthing the Hidden History of America’s Cemeteries by Greg Melville is an absolutely fascinating tour of the history of cemeteries in the U。S。 Of the 18 cemeteries visited here， I've actually been to one of them in person， Burial Hill in Plymouth， Massachusetts， so that was very cool to see the author discuss one I'm already somewhat familiar with。 I particularly enjoyed the author's conversational tone。 I hi I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。Over My Dead Body: Unearthing the Hidden History of America’s Cemeteries by Greg Melville is an absolutely fascinating tour of the history of cemeteries in the U。S。 Of the 18 cemeteries visited here， I've actually been to one of them in person， Burial Hill in Plymouth， Massachusetts， so that was very cool to see the author discuss one I'm already somewhat familiar with。 I particularly enjoyed the author's conversational tone。 I highly recommend this， especially if you're a fan of Caitlin Doughty。 。。。more

Annarella ，

Graveyards are fascinating places and visiting them is a good way to learn about micro history of places or history。This is an entertaining， well researched， and well written book。Recommended。Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC， all opinions are mine

Laura Chase ，

Fascinating read。Loved learning about the history of burials and the history of some of America's cemeteries。 Fascinating read。Loved learning about the history of burials and the history of some of America's cemeteries。 。。。more

Elaine ，

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Over My Dead Body。First， great title！ ❤😄❤Second， this was a fascinating look at some of the most famous cemeteries in the US。Not surprisingly， racism and religious intolerance wasn't lurking far behind the dark histories behind the cemeteries the author features in his book。I enjoyed the historical anecdotes and how cemeteries today are architectural and historical achievements and paved the way for the booming and grossly expensive death has become now。I Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Over My Dead Body。First， great title！ ❤😄❤Second， this was a fascinating look at some of the most famous cemeteries in the US。Not surprisingly， racism and religious intolerance wasn't lurking far behind the dark histories behind the cemeteries the author features in his book。I enjoyed the historical anecdotes and how cemeteries today are architectural and historical achievements and paved the way for the booming and grossly expensive death has become now。I also appreciated the author's focus on sustainability， land use， and what it truly means to be memorialized。 Like everything else in our lives， life after death goes digital。Like the wonderful sentence he ends the book with， （I'm paraphrasing here） what happens to our bodies after death is not as important as how we life our life now。Well said！ 。。。more

CJ ，

Really excellent！ Highly recommend to fans of Caitlin Doughty。

Rennie ，

So good！ Funny， respectful， deeply thoughtful， really insightful。 This is a tough and weird topic to spend too much time thinking about and not really one you want to dwell on， but he makes it worth doing。 I learned so much from this - it's one of those that's packed with interesting （and sometimes horrifying/shocking） trivia。 So good！ Funny， respectful， deeply thoughtful， really insightful。 This is a tough and weird topic to spend too much time thinking about and not really one you want to dwell on， but he makes it worth doing。 I learned so much from this - it's one of those that's packed with interesting （and sometimes horrifying/shocking） trivia。 。。。more

Irene ，

Melville is very funny in a dad-jokes-and-puns way that I really appreciated。 That said， this book doesn't shy away from pointing out the appalling past that cemeteries have in the US， from the way they were originally segregated to what is still happening now， where the parts of the cemeteries where the remains of non-whites reside are unkempt and ignored， and the blatant disregard for indigenous burial grounds。 Melville shines a light on the origin of the modern cemetery， the vast expanses of Melville is very funny in a dad-jokes-and-puns way that I really appreciated。 That said， this book doesn't shy away from pointing out the appalling past that cemeteries have in the US， from the way they were originally segregated to what is still happening now， where the parts of the cemeteries where the remains of non-whites reside are unkempt and ignored， and the blatant disregard for indigenous burial grounds。 Melville shines a light on the origin of the modern cemetery， the vast expanses of grass we're so used to， and how they became the inspiration for theme parks and suburbs， the obsession with celebrities as an attraction and a way to bring business to a cemetery， and the ever so imaginative ways people trying to sell you coffins will talk you into getting expensive additions when you're too overwhelmed and stricken with grief to argue。 Also explored is the glorification of dying for your country that is inculcated into the minds of people joining the military and the reality of Arlington National Cemetery。My favourite part of the book was the discussion surrounding digital memorials as an alternative to a physical grave。 The way I see it， watching a video of someone from when they were alive， reading their Facebook posts， or looking at their photos on a computer screen， does not satisfy the same need that going to a quiet， isolated place， where their body is， does。 Sitting by someone's grave and having a little conversation is not the same thing as visiting their social media profiles。 It doesn't even have to be a grave。 Their remains don't even have to be there！ Going someplace on purpose， someplace outside， and sitting there for a little bit and thinking about them without targeted ads flashing in your face， is a different activity。Cemeteries are fascinating pieces of history and today is a great day to go take a walk in one。 。。。more

Pamela ，

I got an ARC from NetGalley。 Clearly， in order to request it， I was already predisposed to like the topic， why else would I request it？ But this was more than I expected。I normally hate books where the author inserts too much of themselves， which the author did here。 But oddly， it really works well。 You got to know Greg， or the Greg he presents， in this book and he really became a buddy I was going around looking at cemeteries with。 Except for his abnormal love of running， I felt like he was me， I got an ARC from NetGalley。 Clearly， in order to request it， I was already predisposed to like the topic， why else would I request it？ But this was more than I expected。I normally hate books where the author inserts too much of themselves， which the author did here。 But oddly， it really works well。 You got to know Greg， or the Greg he presents， in this book and he really became a buddy I was going around looking at cemeteries with。 Except for his abnormal love of running， I felt like he was me， only a much better writer。 Although he did refer to Jessica Mitford as a journalist， which of course she was， but if I were writing you know there would have been more celebrity worship going on！ Because of his style， there is really a fun embrace of what could be morbid。 The book became more a vacation with a friend looking at cool cemeteries and learning along the way。 I did read it slower than expected， mostly because each chapter is so self-contained， it's easy to stop。 Each chapter focuses on a specific cemetery and then uses that to illustrate a larger story in the Death Industry--I really liked how he addressed that and its control of death in America。 There are errors in the book。 I know ARCs are not the final version and there were that sort of errors as well but there were some interpretation/ fact errors that I know will stay （yes， I am always hypercritical of anything written on Hart Island， I know）。 But that is ok。 Nothing is perfect and in its imperfection， I think he makes cemeteries accessible to everyone， not just us eccentric fanatics。 What would be cool is if he turned the book into a guided road trip， I would 100% join him！Because it was a Netgalley ARC， I got a kindle version of the book but I am planning to buy a hard copy to keep on my bookshelf。 This seems a book that would be useful to have around as reference and vacation inspiration。 And end of life planning。 He has me so wanting a natural burial now！ 。。。more

Cindy ，

Very interesting。 Because of my husband's interest in family history， we have spent lots of time in cemetaries， but I still had lots to learn about their history and what the future might hold。 For example: I never knew the difference between a coffin and casket， I didn't know how bad embalming is for the environment， and I didn't know how huge cremation has become in the USA。 Melville is an entertaining writer with amusing little comments like the fact that one cemetary displays a "Goliath-size Very interesting。 Because of my husband's interest in family history， we have spent lots of time in cemetaries， but I still had lots to learn about their history and what the future might hold。 For example: I never knew the difference between a coffin and casket， I didn't know how bad embalming is for the environment， and I didn't know how huge cremation has become in the USA。 Melville is an entertaining writer with amusing little comments like the fact that one cemetary displays a "Goliath-size version of Michalangelo's David statue。" 。。。more

Cassandra ，

An incredible look into the history of our cemeteries and other aspects of the death industry in America。 If you’re a fan of Caitlin Doughty’s work， this is a must read！ It covers everything from our first cemeteries， to the effects embalming has on the environment。 He discusses different burial trends and how the way we think about death has changed。 Interwoven with his own experiences as a grave digger and mourner。 I was especially moved by how he takes time to show historically the racial dis An incredible look into the history of our cemeteries and other aspects of the death industry in America。 If you’re a fan of Caitlin Doughty’s work， this is a must read！ It covers everything from our first cemeteries， to the effects embalming has on the environment。 He discusses different burial trends and how the way we think about death has changed。 Interwoven with his own experiences as a grave digger and mourner。 I was especially moved by how he takes time to show historically the racial disparity in how we bury and then care for the graves of minorities。 At times I felt like he glossed over areas I could have written， or read， a chapter on。 Such as the concept of “the good death” changing during the civil war and the effect it had on burials in the country。 I can tell he carefully chose what to merely reference as opposed to what he wanted to explain more in depth。 It carries the book along and gives a nice sense of rhythm to the reader。 I can’t recommend this highly enough to those with an interest in genealogy， death， the death industry， American history， and so much more！ I'm grateful to GR for the chance to review！ 。。。more

Meliroo ，

It's spooky season and so it definitely felt like the right time to give this a read。 Cemeteries， humor， and history， what's not to love？ This is probably one of the few times where I wish a book was longer。 I want more cemetery stories！ （Bonaventure， GA; Salem， MA; Lafayette 1/St Louis 1， LA are on my request list for sure）I received this ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review。 It's spooky season and so it definitely felt like the right time to give this a read。 Cemeteries， humor， and history， what's not to love？ This is probably one of the few times where I wish a book was longer。 I want more cemetery stories！ （Bonaventure， GA; Salem， MA; Lafayette 1/St Louis 1， LA are on my request list for sure）I received this ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review。 。。。more

Rae Nason ，

Like the author， I've had a quiet adoration of cemeteries since I was a child。 I used to ride my bike to the small cemetery less than a mile from my house and sit with a book under a tree in the oldest part of the cemetery。 I would explore the stones and wonder about the people long buried there。 The environment was peaceful and oddly comforting。 Not so long ago， we buried my father in this same cemetery and I'm happy he's in a peaceful place。 The ways in which humanity has dealt with the dead， Like the author， I've had a quiet adoration of cemeteries since I was a child。 I used to ride my bike to the small cemetery less than a mile from my house and sit with a book under a tree in the oldest part of the cemetery。 I would explore the stones and wonder about the people long buried there。 The environment was peaceful and oddly comforting。 Not so long ago， we buried my father in this same cemetery and I'm happy he's in a peaceful place。 The ways in which humanity has dealt with the dead， developed different rituals， beliefs in the afterlife， and things they have done to ensure their memories have long fascinated many。 This book is an honest， respectful， sharp witted exploration of historical cemeteries and various funeral rituals across humanity。 Entertaining， enlightening， and intriguing， you would never expect the ways that cemeteries and burials have influenced history， people， and the impact it has on society。 Thank you to NetGalley and Abrams Press for providing me with a digital copy for review。 The opinions expressed here are my own and do not reflect those of the author or publisher。 。。。more

Dan ，

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Abrams for an advanced copy of this book that is both a history of cemeteries in America， and a meditation on how even death， something that happens to us all， is still used to marginalize or out right ignore certain people in society。 Ashes to ashes， dust to dust。 Death and dying seems to be on a lot of peoples minds。 Blame a pandemic that no amount of wishing away， still continues to thin our population。 Or the fact that people can't go to school， My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Abrams for an advanced copy of this book that is both a history of cemeteries in America， and a meditation on how even death， something that happens to us all， is still used to marginalize or out right ignore certain people in society。 Ashes to ashes， dust to dust。 Death and dying seems to be on a lot of peoples minds。 Blame a pandemic that no amount of wishing away， still continues to thin our population。 Or the fact that people can't go to school， malls， or religious halls， because it seems that no where is safe。 So reading a book about cemeteries seemed perfect after an hour on Twitter。 Over My Dead Body: Unearthing the Hidden History of America’s Cemeteries by Greg Melville a writer， editor， educator and veteran is not the book that I expected。 Yes， readers learn about cemeteries and their history， but the book is much more than that。 The book looks at society， how we treat people even in death， the money and the business in dying， the beauty， the ugliness and the science。 I book that exceeded my expectations on every level。The book starts with a brief introduction to the writer and a summer job he took for the town he lived in that gave him a life long interest。 Not digging graves， but evening them out， not at the six feet that I always thought was regulated。 From there we travel the country looking at famous cemeteries from military， to the first Jewish cemetery， to rich and sometimes poor。 As we travel Melville tells us about the time in which the cemeteries were created， times of war， or peace， or to make money。 However it is the dead that are given a chance to be seen and discussed。 Stories of Native American graves defiled for their food offerings， or just bulldozed by people looking to make more wealth。 Graveyards in the South that Goggle Maps ignored， while the white cemetery is easily found。 A lonely grave in Tombstone allows Melville a chance to share about those Chinese immigrants who built the railroads， and about their erasing from history。 A look at history of this country from a very unique view。The book is very well written， funny when needed， Melville's stories about his love and graveyards and his family are very humourous， and balance well the story Melville is telling。 The research is very complete， and well sourced。 The book covers many things， the greed in the industry of funerals， and what a future of rising cremations and natural burials might mean。 The science of embalming， and how that became a business， along with cemeteries as tax shelters is something I knew a little about， but was happy to learn more。 However it is the dead， those lost， those in the case of the descendents of Thomas Jefferson and others ignored， as they try to rewrite history is what I enjoyed the most。 Melville's writing is both informative and sympathetic to the dead this country continues to mistreat。 Also his own thoughts and feelings on what he wants as he thinks of his own mortality show not only courage， and left me with a lot of thoughts of what might happen when I finally breath my last。 A book with a few messages。 Take care of people in life， and in death。 Know the history of your area， don't hide it or whitewash it， or burn the books as some people in this country are so apt to do。 There is a lot to think about and learn from this book， not just about where we place bodies， but how we treat their memories when they are gone。 Highly recommended。 For fans of All the Living and the Dead， by Hayley Campbell， a fine companion piece to this book and also for readers of Lies my Teacher told Me by James Loewen。 I really can't wait to read more by Greg Melville。 。。。more

TimetoFangirl ，

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。"Over My Dead Body" covers a lot of topics， from the history of cemeteries in America， through the rise of the horrifyingly named Death Industrial Complex， to how said industry interacts with sustainability/environmental concerns。For a nonfiction novel about a fairly grim subject， the writing in OMDB is accessible and quick， and I think many readers will be able to enjoy it。 The chapters almost function more as a collection of ess I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。"Over My Dead Body" covers a lot of topics， from the history of cemeteries in America， through the rise of the horrifyingly named Death Industrial Complex， to how said industry interacts with sustainability/environmental concerns。For a nonfiction novel about a fairly grim subject， the writing in OMDB is accessible and quick， and I think many readers will be able to enjoy it。 The chapters almost function more as a collection of essays that all revolve around the main topic， more than a linear progression of a narrative。 While this is a fairly common approach to nonfiction， it felt a bit disjointed to me （hence the 3-star）。 。。。more

Amy ，

NetGalley ReviewAs someone who works in a history / genealogy department of a library， this book caught my eye right away。 I've always been fascinated by cemeteries and how we are required to boil entire lives down to what fits on a gravestone。 I learned a lot from this book。 I had no idea there were so many different schools of thought on death and burial as time progressed。 The book is also part history lesson， as when we learn about the Chinese immigrants laid to rest in "boot hill" graveyard NetGalley ReviewAs someone who works in a history / genealogy department of a library， this book caught my eye right away。 I've always been fascinated by cemeteries and how we are required to boil entire lives down to what fits on a gravestone。 I learned a lot from this book。 I had no idea there were so many different schools of thought on death and burial as time progressed。 The book is also part history lesson， as when we learn about the Chinese immigrants laid to rest in "boot hill" graveyards and the racial segregation of many graveyards。 Science and conservation are also learned when "natural" burials are discussed。 Overall， an interesting read and I learned much more about burial considerations and processes than I had expected！ 。。。more

Tex ，

As a genealogist and lover of history， I have always had a fascination with cemeteries and graveyards。 My mother and I visit local cemeteries to search out long lost relatives， and plant flowers on graves of our known ancestors。 On trips， I have often steered my husband into locations such as Gettysburg National Cemetery， Arlington National Cemetery， Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax where Titanic victims were buried， and Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta where Margaret Mitchell was buried。 I thought As a genealogist and lover of history， I have always had a fascination with cemeteries and graveyards。 My mother and I visit local cemeteries to search out long lost relatives， and plant flowers on graves of our known ancestors。 On trips， I have often steered my husband into locations such as Gettysburg National Cemetery， Arlington National Cemetery， Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax where Titanic victims were buried， and Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta where Margaret Mitchell was buried。 I thought I was the only one to do this until I read Over My Dead Body by Greg Melville。 Mr。 Melville delves into his admiration for the sanctuaries of the non-living。 Viewed as not just a property with dead people in it， Melville explains how graveyards， later titled cemeteries， influenced design and layouts for public parks and open spaces。 He also discusses what a cemetery can tell us about the period of history in which it was established， simply by looking at the landscaping， architecture， and artwork of monuments。 Grave markers can indicate how prominent a particular person or family was in the area， and can also leave a message to the living about the deceased by etching certain symbols onto the stone。 What I found particularly fascinating was the history of how and when embalming began， and how this "invention，" so to speak， shaped the death industrial complex since the American Civil War。 I had never really thought about the industry side of death before， and it made me pause to rethink my future burial plans。 Greg does a really nice job of selecting different types of cemeteries to discuss in his book， from crematoriums to centuries' old sites， to newly established natural burial spots。 I love books where I learn something new and challenges me to rethink positions or stances。 This book did just that， and made a subject matter some may find off-putting into a light-hearted read with some humor sprinkled in。 I recommend this book to anyone interested in history， anthropology， or travel。 。。。more

Tracy ，

READ THIS BOOKIf the NY Times doesn't put this on their best seller list I will be shocked。 This is hands down the most entertaining， enlightening， interesting book I have read in a long time。 The author takes you on a historical tour of how we bury our dead。 Each chapter visits another grave site with incredible， unbelievable stories。 The author does a great job researching and telling the history of each grave site and its significance。 This book was so fascinating I couldn't stop thinking abo READ THIS BOOKIf the NY Times doesn't put this on their best seller list I will be shocked。 This is hands down the most entertaining， enlightening， interesting book I have read in a long time。 The author takes you on a historical tour of how we bury our dead。 Each chapter visits another grave site with incredible， unbelievable stories。 The author does a great job researching and telling the history of each grave site and its significance。 This book was so fascinating I couldn't stop thinking about it or talking about it to anyone within earshot。 You cannot miss with this book。 It is not gory or morose， but it does show how we don't always treat everyone equally - even in death。 It is a fascinating read。 Don't miss out on this one。 。。。more

Naomi's Bookshelf ，

I have loved going to cemeteries since I was a child so this book sounded just like a nonfiction I would love。 I went up to gravestones and imagined the lives of those of the past。 I was so enthralled with every chapter and I struggled to stop reading。 The history of cemeteries， the reflection on society and how they continue to work was fascinating。 I really enjoyed the depth of each subject as it taught me new things and helped me learn the different elements of cemeteries。 I don’t live in the I have loved going to cemeteries since I was a child so this book sounded just like a nonfiction I would love。 I went up to gravestones and imagined the lives of those of the past。 I was so enthralled with every chapter and I struggled to stop reading。 The history of cemeteries， the reflection on society and how they continue to work was fascinating。 I really enjoyed the depth of each subject as it taught me new things and helped me learn the different elements of cemeteries。 I don’t live in the US but I feel like it would be extremely similar to Canada。 The discussion of racism and injustice throughout history that is revealed in the cemeteries of the past and present were awful to learn but it is important to be exposed。 This is the book for anyone who loves learning about history through unique ways！I received an arc via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review。 。。。more

Raina Mertz ，

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC！Fans of The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green will absolutely ADORE this book。 Not surprisingly， since both authors are alums of Kenyon College， both books are written with so much heart and attention to detail that even if cemeteries aren’t your favorite topic， they will be by the time you’re done with this book。 Each chapter， centered around a different cemetery and piece funerary history， was the perfect length to read in a sitting， and that Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC！Fans of The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green will absolutely ADORE this book。 Not surprisingly， since both authors are alums of Kenyon College， both books are written with so much heart and attention to detail that even if cemeteries aren’t your favorite topic， they will be by the time you’re done with this book。 Each chapter， centered around a different cemetery and piece funerary history， was the perfect length to read in a sitting， and that made the book compulsively readable。 I was always looking forward to when I could read the next part。Like I mentioned above， the heart and obvious amount of care that went into this book was palpable and made the experience all the more enjoyable。 This will be among my favorite nonfiction books of the year for sure。 。。。more

Nancy ，

When I was a girl， we kids would bike ride through a local cemetery where pheasant could still be seen。 My dad would drive us to another local cemetery to feed the ducks in the duck pond。 These were places with lots of trees and natural beauty， and white headstones， some with towering statues。 I have always enjoyed going to cemeteries in the towns we have lived in。 And as a genealogist， we have visited cemeteries to discover our family history。 The old ones hold beautiful headstones and arching When I was a girl， we kids would bike ride through a local cemetery where pheasant could still be seen。 My dad would drive us to another local cemetery to feed the ducks in the duck pond。 These were places with lots of trees and natural beauty， and white headstones， some with towering statues。 I have always enjoyed going to cemeteries in the towns we have lived in。 And as a genealogist， we have visited cemeteries to discover our family history。 The old ones hold beautiful headstones and arching trees。 Newer ones have plaques in the ground， all open grassland。Once， when my son was a preschooler， he asked to go to a cemetery we often passed。 He asked me to read the headstones。 Many were designated as veterans。 Some were entire families who died at the same time。 As we went back to the car， I asked him what he learned。 “Don’t never ever ever ever die，” he told me。That’s the problem。 We do all die。 This pandemic has brought the reality closer these past few years。 At this writing， 1 out of every 316 people in my county have died of Covid-19。 Add the fact that I turned 70 this summer， and last things are often in the back of my mind。I used to want to be cremated。 But what I want now is a burial without chemicals and vaults， to decay and return to the cycle of life as soon as possible。 That’s eternity。 I don’t need a plot of land and a monument that will be meaningless in a generation。 I want to be a tree， a flower， a blade of grass。Of course， our earliest burials did consist of placement in the ground， with artifacts from life， or our bodies were exposed to the elements and the bones collected and buried。How did the elaborate Death Industrial Complex arise？ What is the environmental impact of putting millions of galleons of chemicals in the ground， or the chemicals and fuel needed to maintain a plush carpet of grass？ How we remember the dead has changed over millennia。 We have erected monumental structures and we scatter ashes in beloved locations。 What history is obscured or revealed in cemeteries， those hidden and those laid out like theme parks？Over My Dead Body may be about a grim subject， but it’s an enjoyable read， filled with personal anecdotes and historical and sociological insight。 Greg Melville takes us to the earliest graveyards at Jamestown and Plymouth， and to seek unmarked slave graveyards and the destroyed Native American burial grounds。 He shows how innovations in cemeteries impacted society and how pandemics and war forced new practices。 Embalming arose to preserve the bodies of the Civil War dead so they could be returned for burial in their hometown。 The need for a Jewish burial ground impacted the inclusion of religious freedom in the Bill of Rights。 Transcendentalists found inspiration in Sleepy Hollow cemetery， the first protected natural habitat。Melville shares the difficulty of our personal choices for our remains， the tug between sustainability and claiming a place in the world were we will be remembered。It’s an enjoyable， sometimes devastating， and always enlightening read。I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley。 My review is fair and unbiased。 。。。more

Sandra ，

I found this book to be twofold- on the one hand it’s about the history of burial practices worldwide with a later focus on America， something as a student of American history I quite honestly hadn’t yet considered outside of the graveyards of New Orleans。 Of course I found the chapter about Jamestown most interesting because I’ve been there and could imagine it。 Monticello’s story is heartbreaking。 Tombstone’s graveyard is now on my list of things I need to see。 Learning about different cemeter I found this book to be twofold- on the one hand it’s about the history of burial practices worldwide with a later focus on America， something as a student of American history I quite honestly hadn’t yet considered outside of the graveyards of New Orleans。 Of course I found the chapter about Jamestown most interesting because I’ve been there and could imagine it。 Monticello’s story is heartbreaking。 Tombstone’s graveyard is now on my list of things I need to see。 Learning about different cemetery styles through time was fascinating but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the author missed a gem of a cemetery by not exploring Mt。 Hope in Rochester， NY。 It is quite literally a pilgrimage site for women who visit Susan B。 Anthony on election days and any day where they feel threatened by government policy。 Google photos of her grave and you will find pictures where her headstone is covered in “I voted” stickers。 The grave of Frederick Douglass is another that many make a point to visit。 The history there is much richer than cemeteries in California which are populated by dead famous people。 The second part of the book， which I do feel could have been expanded on but was immensely interesting， is about the environmental factors of our two main practices- embalming and burial， and cremation。 Being somewhat young it’s not something I’d seriously considered until reading this book。 I don’t want to embalmed and buried because what purpose does that serve？ No one will visit as my family line is dying out。 Trying to decide between a cemetery where I grew up versus a cemetery in whatever city I’m in when I die would be impossible。 Being cremated is a scary thought to me even though logically I know I won’t feel a thing。 Although the thought of being cremated and stored in a book shaped urn in a library of dead was right up my alley。 Bottom line， more environmentally friendly options are needed as the amount of pollution being dumped into the ground and thus our water supply through embalming is unacceptable and the amount of energy need and air pollution created by cremation is not much better。 The book briefly touches on some other options but this is the part where I would have liked expanded information。 Overall this is a great little primer on burial history， something the author has proven to me to overlooked in history and architecture。 I’m not sure I buy his argument that cemeteries we’re the first amusement park， but this book is great and I recommend it to all those who love history and the macabre。 。。。more

J Earl ，

Over My Dead Body by Greg Melville is history told through places， in this case cemeteries。 It is far more informative than it might seem in part because it is written in such an engaging manner。Like history told through objects， this one touches on US history， cultural and social history， a bit of folklore in places， and running throughout a history of human interment since the first colony in what became the United States。 The history of each cemetery is wrapped up in the history of the period Over My Dead Body by Greg Melville is history told through places， in this case cemeteries。 It is far more informative than it might seem in part because it is written in such an engaging manner。Like history told through objects， this one touches on US history， cultural and social history， a bit of folklore in places， and running throughout a history of human interment since the first colony in what became the United States。 The history of each cemetery is wrapped up in the history of the period of its creation as well as， often， later events。 So we get a nice glimpse of what concerned every person， how they and their family would handle their remains。This is also a recap of some of Melville's travels and that personal element is part of what makes this an enjoyable read。 Family dragged along， people encountered while there， these help bring the history into our present as well as show how anybody can， if so inclined， explore aspects of the history around them。If you have visited some of these， you will still likely learn something you didn't know about them （I certainly did）。 While not a guide as such， this is an excellent source of places to visit when you happen to be in certain parts of the country。 Or hop in your RV and make an extended trip。This should appeal to those who like history that is not the usual fare and even those who enjoy travelogues （though this doesn't， I don't think， count as one）。 If you like to make your reading a multi-platform experience， searching for pictures online of some of these is quite rewarding， especially the stunning gate to Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery。Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley。 。。。more

Erin ，

“What’s most sacred in this world isn’t what happens to our bodies after death， but how and for whom we live our lives。”*****Thanks once again to @netgalley and to @abramsbooks for this ARC。 Make sure to look for this one when it comes out on October 4th！*****This book was such a pleasant surprise for me， since most of the non-fiction I read tends to be true crime。 It’s informative sure， I’m pretty sure my family， friends and coworkers are thoroughly annoyed with the amount of “fun facts” I’ve b “What’s most sacred in this world isn’t what happens to our bodies after death， but how and for whom we live our lives。”*****Thanks once again to @netgalley and to @abramsbooks for this ARC。 Make sure to look for this one when it comes out on October 4th！*****This book was such a pleasant surprise for me， since most of the non-fiction I read tends to be true crime。 It’s informative sure， I’m pretty sure my family， friends and coworkers are thoroughly annoyed with the amount of “fun facts” I’ve been throwing at them this past week But what Melville manages to pull off really well， and what’s so important in a book this inherently morbid， is that it’s also a shockingly fun read！ I especially enjoyed the Gettysburg chapter， since I’ve only been kind of a history nerd and completely fascinated with that battle in particular。 This is one I’ve already been recommending to quite a few friends， and I’ll probably end up buying multiple copies for presents once it’s actually released。🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 。。。more

M。 Langlinais ，

My first 5-star read of the year！ With the understanding that this is a niche book and topic that won't be a favorite for everyone。Melville does a great job combining the history of cemeteries and funerary arts in the United States with broader topics of U。S。 history such as racism and militancy。 The book looks at how Native Americans were treated， and slaves （and their burials）， and Chinese immigrants as the U。S。 expanded westward。 It looks at how the wealthy were--and are--buried in comparison My first 5-star read of the year！ With the understanding that this is a niche book and topic that won't be a favorite for everyone。Melville does a great job combining the history of cemeteries and funerary arts in the United States with broader topics of U。S。 history such as racism and militancy。 The book looks at how Native Americans were treated， and slaves （and their burials）， and Chinese immigrants as the U。S。 expanded westward。 It looks at how the wealthy were--and are--buried in comparison to the poor。 It considers changes in aesthetics of cemeteries and funerary customs， from natural to embalming and back again。 Honestly， this book feels like the foundation text for an interesting and inspiring college course on "U。S。 History Through Cemeteries and Funerary Practices。"Also， can I just go hang out with Greg Melville？ His conversational tone makes this book an easy read， and he has just enough humor to temper the weight of the topics he tackles。Photos are a nice touch to help give readers a sense of what Melville describes when he visits each location。 Still， I was compelled to look a few images up myself out of curiosity。Fans of YouTube's "Ask A Mortician" （Caitlin Doughty） would probably enjoy adding this one to their reading list。I did notice a few typos and errors （the wrong date of death for JFK， for example）， but as this is an ARC， there's hope for these to be corrected。 Thanks to Netgalley and Abrams for the early look。 YouTube review: https://youtu。be/cO7SYIJcfqo 。。。more

Richard Propes ，

It was in high school that author Greg Melville first leaned into his curiosity around the history of cemeteries and the great mysteries that often surround the burying of our dead。 Working for a local cemetery， what began as the simple task of mowing its vast grounds became a lifelong curiosity for Melville about how， why， and where we bury our dead。 With "Over My Dead Body: Unearthing the Hidden History of America's Cemeteries，" Melville gives light to his lifelong curiosity and an adult lifet It was in high school that author Greg Melville first leaned into his curiosity around the history of cemeteries and the great mysteries that often surround the burying of our dead。 Working for a local cemetery， what began as the simple task of mowing its vast grounds became a lifelong curiosity for Melville about how， why， and where we bury our dead。 With "Over My Dead Body: Unearthing the Hidden History of America's Cemeteries，" Melville gives light to his lifelong curiosity and an adult lifetime spent visiting some of America's most historic and iconic cemeteries ranging from Concord， Massachusetts's Sleepy Hollow Cemetery to the 1607 Burial Ground in Jamestowne， Virginia to Arlington National Cemetery to quite a few more。 I must confess that I found "Over My Dead Body" to be more travelogue than actual historical non-fiction， though Melville has certainly done his research in sharing the ways in which burial has often shaped America's culture， politics， and social values。 It's likely not surprising that the author of such books as "Greasy Rider" and "101 Best Outdoor Towns" would be able to make such tales as are present here so completely engaging。 While it is not the case， "Over My Dead Body" often reads as if it is a road trip of American cemeteries。 Instead， it is simply Melville's own reflections upon his journeys through an estimated 18 of America's most influential and historical cemeteries ranging from examining their places in history to looking at the ways in which burial has changed throughout time including the fact that cremation is now outpacing burials in popularity， though even cremation isn't that particularly good for the environment， along with such important historical considerations as land use， sustainability， and burial practices。 Melville's personality comes alive in these pages， his friends and family often tolerating but not actually embracing his somewhat morbid curiosity that seems to show up nearly every time Melville finds himself in a new town where there's a new cemetery that warrants his consideration。 Melville writes with great intelligence， humor， insight， and humanity。 There were times I craved a deeper dive into historical practices around these specific cemeteries。 As Melville would share about extraneous historical factors， I found my own curiosity unsatisfied about the history of monuments and tombs， stories about specific graves， and the actual history of these remarkable cemeteries。 I mean， for example， how do you write about Sleepy Hollow Cemetery and not actually mention the iconic media representation of Sleepy Hollow？At times， Melville goes for universal tales rather than the more intimate and personal tales of a cemetery's history。 Both are important， of course， but I longed for a bit more sense of each cemetery's actual personality within its community。 At times， Melville goes there - for example， there's a palpable sense of the presence of Jamestowne's 1607 burial ground that lies amidst a common tourist area。 However， other times I was more entertained than truly engaged。 As someone who has also worked at a cemetery， Indianapolis's historic landmark Crown Hill Cemetery， I still deeply appreciated and enjoyed Melville's acute awareness of the importance cemetery and an almost celebratory approach toward each cemetery's presence as a historical marker and cultural icon。 "Over My Dead Body" could easily have been a dry read - it is most certainly not。 Instead， it's lively with Melville's own experiences supplemented by extensive research about the history around cemeteries and historical events that helped shape American cemeteries。 "Over My Dead Body" was a slow read for me precisely because it demanded my attention to detail and to Melville's reverence for its purpose。 While perhaps not quite tapping into my every hope for the book， Greg Melville's "Over My Dead Body" is still a sublime weaving together of travelogue meets roadside curiosity meets historical marker。 Those who surrender themselves to it will be richly rewarded。 。。。more

Tracie ，

Author Greg Melville writes of ancient burial sites around the world and then focuses on America。 Beginning with his summer job mowing lawns at a cemetery as a young man in Massachusetts， he discusses how cemeteries became our first public art museums and parks。 Also， how they offer evidence of the removal of Indigenous people， of slavery， of segregation of Jews and Blacks， and how cemeteries bred greed and corruption into a multi-billion-dollar industry that is not entirely about easing grief。 Author Greg Melville writes of ancient burial sites around the world and then focuses on America。 Beginning with his summer job mowing lawns at a cemetery as a young man in Massachusetts， he discusses how cemeteries became our first public art museums and parks。 Also， how they offer evidence of the removal of Indigenous people， of slavery， of segregation of Jews and Blacks， and how cemeteries bred greed and corruption into a multi-billion-dollar industry that is not entirely about easing grief。 Most of the graveyards he writes about are on the eastern coast and California。 For example， the burial markers at Burial Hill in Plymouth， Massachusetts date back from the late 1600s to the 1950s with skulls and grim reapers that turn to angels and elaborate more cheerful designs as views within religions changed。 He discusses a Colonial Jewish Burial Ground in Rhode Island that was established in 1677 that has inscriptions in English， Spanish and Portuguese and an almost extinct Judeo-Spanish language known as Ladino。 His chapter on Monticello discusses the finding of an African American Graveyard in 2001 that contains about 40 enslaved people that had disappeared from history。 The Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge， Massachusetts is a turning point in that cemeteries were being made outside of the cities as space ran out and landscaped architecture became more of the norm。 They featured pathways for walking in the woods and gardens and places for a family to sit and nowadays to jog。 The civil war saw another change with the making of national military cemeteries for fallen soldiers， such as at Gettysburg consecrated with Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and the making of Arlington。 He then discusses several more cemeteries with fascinating detail。 At the end he gives information that actually made me a little sad， mad， and more aware。 One company produces 45% of all caskets in America， hard during a pandemic， and brings in 2。5 billion in annual revenue。 Unfortunately， burials can include toxic embalming fluid， which includes gallons of formaldehyde， tons of metal and concrete and cremation， has toxins as well。 I found myself pondering my own funeral and how green I can be and not wipe out my life savings and still pay for elder care expenses。 However， when I am traveling and there is a burial ground or cemetery near the motel or even a restaurant， I and my passengers will stretch our legs in a walk through it and also ponder。 I look at the art or non-art on the markers or urns and feel sadness when one whole family seems to have died in a brief period of time and remind myself that saying farewell is an ancient act even done by animals and should be honored。 Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Heather ，

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle， ABRAMS and by #NetGalley。 Opinions expressed are completely my own。 Very informative， interesting and full of details I wouldn’t expect。 I enjoyed reading facts and interesting details about the history。