History is dominated by A-list deaths: queens beheaded; archdukes assassinated. But what about everyone else? How have ordinary people departed this life and grieved for loved ones and how might the old ways help us prepare for the end?
Our ancestors 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 ofVictorian 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.
In this humane and intimate history, she examines our relationship with death, its. interweaving with 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 pictụre of the lives of our forebears, skilfully bringing the lost art of death to life today.
Size: 242 x 162mm (hard cover with dust jacket)
Pages: 368
Publisher: Profile Books / Wellcome Collection
