Over My Dead Body

Well written and keeps the reader engaged; could have lost some of the dad jokes but overall quite good, especially in an illuminating theme that carries throughout the book in terms of placing cemeteries as the places that became models for much of what America became, especially the grass-lawn suburbia of the post-war era.

As someone who regularly jogs through a cemetery in my neighborhood(Ivy Hill), and has done 5Ks through Congressional Cemetery during their annual Dead Man's Run, I found the author's interest in cemeteries very relatable.

The book was interesting, if a little dry at times. I skimmed some long rambling descriptions of architecture and cemetery layouts. But, overall the subject matter is fascinating, and parts of this book were deeply moving—the sections on Arlington cemetery, and the missing burial locations for the enslaved people at Monticello especially. There were also many fun and lighthearted tidbits, to think that cemetery planning may have influenced suburban neighborhood design! And Abraham Lincoln may be loosely responsible for the American tradition of embalming!

I do feel like Melville missed a huge opportunity when talking about Congressional Hill Cemetery. He mentioned that they have apiaries, but not that they sell the honey, and it is called “Rest in Bees.”

Overall, well worth a read!