The Work of the Dead

This book is a monumental Magnum Opus covering the cultural history of how we are treated mortal remains. The four parts cover what the author calls the deep time of the dead, places, names and burning the dead. He shows in enormous but readable detail how the location changed from churchyard to cemetery, how important names are, particularly on war memorials, and how the modern practice of cremation emerged. One of the most interesting episodes relates to the death of Voltaire, who was an implacable opponent of the Church and might be refused burial in sacred ground. Fear of hell led to many deathbed repentances, and the position with Voltaire raised all the contemporary political issues with his lifetime of anticlericalism. A similar discussion of David Hume also brings in Dr Johnson. This is surely the definitive treatment of the subject, a landmark and highly readable work.