As a student of death, I read a lot of books about various aspects of death and grief. Some I read for pleasure and others for school. I’ve broken the books below into various categories, and I would recommend that if you have suffered a recent loss, you proceed with caution with the books categorized as Death, as they may be triggering.
Grief Books
This selection of books addresses various forms of grief. These are non-academic books and are ones that I’ve found helpful when working through my own grief.
Books: Opening Our Hearts, Transforming Our Losses
This is my favorite book about grief and loss, in part because it covers losses other than death. It is geared toward people who are impacted by other people’s drinking, but the wisdom within its pages can be helpful to anyone who is facing a loss. The book has chapters to deal with several different…
Fiction
I firmly believe that we underestimate the power of fiction to help us address our grief. I read self-help books that provide practical help on addressing my grief, but there have been times when fiction has helped me more because it is the story of a person who is undergoing something similar to what I’m feeling and even though the characters may be made up, I usually find something meaningful in these books.
Books: The Ex-Boyfriend’s Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee: A Novel
I rarely buy random books at the bookstore, but I was at the Barnes & Noble in Akron, IL, and this one piqued my interest. I love books with recipes and most of the ones I’ve read have been cozy mysteries. I especially love Diane Mott Davidson’s Goldy Bear series. However, this book is not…
Cemetery Books
My bucket list is full of cemeteries I want to visit before I become a permanent resident, and as there are actual books written about cemeteries, I believe I am not alone. The books below are some of my favorites. Some are about individual cemeteries, and others are about a collection of cemeteries.
Books: Empire of Death: A Cultural History of Ossuaries and Charnel Houses
I became fascinated by ossuaries and charnel houses after reading A Tour of Bones by Denise Inge. However, while that book looks at Bone Houses from an emotional lens, The Empire of Death looks at them from a physical and cultural perspective. The book is full of photographs of what could be the ultimate in…
Books: Dead Interesting Stories from the Graveyards of Dublin (Glasnevin Trust)
The animosity between Catholics and Protestants in Ireland is legendary and has gone on for centuries. However, what many did not know is that the war is not just between the living, as the dead are impacted as well. Catholics in Dublin did not have a sacred space in which to bury their dead until…
Books: Over My Dead Body: Unearthing the Hidden History of America’s Cemeteries
This was one of the first books I ever read about cemeteries and it helped me realize that I wasn’t weird for my love of wandering among the tombstones. One thing I really appreciate about this book is that it does not shy away from discussing America’s ugly past. The book opens in Jamestown, where…
Death Books
This is the section of books that I highly recommend going into the Proceed with Caution category if you are squeamish about death or if you have recently lost a loved one. I’ve found all of these books highly entertaining and enjoyable, but I can understand how someone may be upset by reading them.
Books: Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
I will unapologetically admit that this is one of my favorite books about death. It is written in an irreverent tone that belies the seriousness of the material. However, I will give you fair warning that if you have recently lost someone, this may not be the right book to read as it describes the…