A Brief History of Death
For reading a book, Please sign in to your account.
loginThis book brings into brief compass a subject that touches prac-tically every aspect of life. The inevitable interest we all have indeath – whether voiced or silent – is, often, unlike the interestwe possess in other subjects. This one is infused with emotion,whether that of the experience of bereavement or of its antici-pation, or of the thought of our own mortality. This brief vol-ume seeks to capture some of these moods as reflected withinthe kaleidoscope of the history, religion and culture of manysocieties. I have taken as a guide for inclusion the interest shownby generations of students and others in particular aspects ofdeath covered in courses I have taught, especially at Nottinghamand Durham Universities. My own background in both socialanthropology, involving empirical studies, and theology, with itsreflective concerns, will also be evident throughout the text.
