American afterlife : encounters in the customs of mourning

233 Pages·2014·2.515 MB·English

by  Sweeney, Kate

american
afterlife
This page intentionally left blank
kate
swee ney
American
Afterlife
encounters in
the customs
of mourning
the university of
georgia press
athens and
london
Published by the University of Georgia Press
Athens, Georgia 30602
www.ugapress.org
© 2014 by Kate Sweeney
All rights reserved
Designed by Kaelin Chappell Broaddus
Set in 9.7/14 Bodoni Twelve ITC
by Kaelin Chappell Broaddus
Manufactured by Thomson Shore, Inc.
The paper in this book meets the guidelines for
permanence and durability of the Committee on
Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of
the Council on Library Resources.
Most University of Georgia Press titles
are available from popular e-book vendors.
Printed in the United States of America
14 15 16 17 18 c 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Sweeney, Kate, 1978–
American afterlife : encounters in the customs of mourning /
Kate Sweeney.
pages cm
Include bibliographical references.
isbn 978-0-8203-4600-7 (hardcover : alk. paper)
isbn0-8203-4600-4 (hardcover : alk. paper)
1. Funeral rites and ceremonies—Unites States.
2. Mourning customs—United States.
3. Undertakers and undertaking—United States.
4. United States—Social life and customs. I. Title.
gt3203.s94 2014
393—dc23
2013016629
British Library Cataloging-in-Publication Data available
ISBN for digital edition: 978-0-8203-4689-2
for
Dennisand
Martha Sweeney,
for encouragement
par excellence
This page intentionally left blank
Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak
Whispers the o’erfraught heart, and bids it break.
—shakespeare,
Macbeth, Act IV, Scene 3
This page intentionally left blank
contents
preface xiii
chapter 1
American Ways of Death 1
chapter 2
Gone, but Not Forgotten 9
#
dismal trade
Sarah Peacock,
Memorial Tattoo Artist
Under the Skin
$29
chapter 3
The Cemetery’s Cemetery 37