No Ordinary Deaths
A People's History of Mortality
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Profile Books Ltd
Published:1st May '25
Should be back in stock very soon
A vibrant, compelling social history of death, dying, and how our ends shape our lives and societies
History is dominated by A-list deaths: queens beheaded; archdukes assassinated. But what about everyone else? How did ordinary people depart this life and grieve for loved ones - and which of the old ways might help us prepare for the end? Our ancestors, living closer to death than we do, had a more intimate and integrated relationship with death as a familiar presence in daily life. From the death-watchers of the Middle Ages to the pomp of Victorian funeral wear, by way of plague pits, grave-robberies and wakes, historian and bereavement counsellor Molly Conisbee explores how cycles of dying, death and disposal have shaped - and been shaped by - society. She examines, through the prism of past deaths, their interweaving with our beliefs and politics, our most fervent hopes and deepest fears and, ultimately, what it means to 'die well'. A groundbreaking new work of social history, No Ordinary Deaths paints a rich picture of the lives of our forebears, skilfully bringing the lost art of death to life today.
A surprisingly lively history of funerary rituals and mourning... These engaging essays offer valuable insights into the lives and deaths of ordinary men and women * Sunday Times *
Fascinating ... there surely won't be a better study of the subject than Conisbee's * Literary Review *
Fascinating * BBC History Magazine *
A beautifully written and thought provoking journey through the world of death. It addresses our human compulsion to mark the end of life and how that has changed over time. It reminds us that often we are where we are, because of what others have chosen to do before us. Life affirming -- Professor Sue Black, author * All That Remains: A Life in Death *
An excellent survey ... impressive * Scottish Legal News *
No Ordinary Deaths is written with care, passion and clarity that fascinates and leaves the reader, perhaps surprisingly, with life-affirming awe. An excellent new addition to the social history bookshelves * buzz magazine *
Fascinating...a compelling work of social history, exploring how we died - and how we lived -- Judith Flanders, author * Rites of Passage: Death and Mourning in Victorian Britain *
By introducing us to the hidden histories of those who perished in obscurity, Conisbee provides fascinating glimpses of attitudes to death through the ages -- Catharine Arnold, author * Necropolis: London and Its Dead *
A rich and moving history of our changing relationship to one of life's few certainties: death. Molly Conisbee is a sensitive and empathic guide as she encourages us to look to the past to deepen our understanding of loss and grief. A captivating read -- Chris Pearson, author * Collared *
A fascinating and moving account of the ways, over the last 500 years, people have prepared for death, and grieved and mourned for those who have already made that final journey -- Edward Parnell, author * Ghostland *
ISBN: 9781800815872
Dimensions: 238mm x 162mm x 36mm
Weight: 574g
368 pages
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