Alan W. Petrucelli adds a touch of humor to Morbid Curiosity: the Disturbing Demises of the Famous and Infamous. He writes celebrity obituaries and this is a collection of many of those. He clears up a few urban myths, fills in details on some less than complete causes of death, and explains just what happened to some of the bodies or cremains. Rather an interesting read. ;-)

What started out as a local book instead became a cross country tour of graveyards by mother and son (the photographer) Marilyn and Reid Yalom. (If that name sounds familiar, see July 26, 2014). The American Resting Place: Four Hundred Years of History Through Our Cemeteries and Burial Grounds describes how burials have changed in the last four centuries. What about slaves? How do you bury someone when you can't dig a grave? As the 'melting pot', America is full of different cultures and customs which made for an interesting read.

For information on burial customs, writing a will, selecting what will happen with the body, and so much more! As strange as it sounds, I enjoyed the variety found in The Whole Death Catalog: a Living Guide to the Bitter End, by Harold Schechter. I learned how a body decomposes, and what happens in an autopsy. There's a chapter on coping with a loss (including the loss of a pet), and what to say to children. (Each chapter has further reading suggestions). There are novels, movies, songs, and even calendars about death, too, not to mention museums and, of course, websites. My favorite epitaph? "Here Lies (name) Age 102. The good die young." (think about it) (!)

For well written mysteries featuring a funeral home owner, there's the Buryin' Barry series by Mark de Castrique (September 30, 2014).

Reading Hermit With Dog