No Ordinary Deaths

A vibrant, compelling social history of death, dying, and how our ends shape our lives and societies. History is dominated by A-list deaths: queens beheaded, archdukes assassinated. But what about everyone else? How did ordinary people depart this life and grieve for loved ones, and which of the old ways might help us prepare for the end? Our ancestors, living closer to death than we do, 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 of Victorian 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. She examines, through the prism of past deaths, their interweaving with our beliefs and politics, 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 picture of the lives of our forebears, skilfully bringing the lost art of death to life, today.