Death's summer coat : what the history of death and dying can tell us about life and living

Summary: Consideration of death and dying is back in the public forum. People are sipping tea at Death Cafes, attending Death Salons and visiting exhibitions such as Death: A Self-Portrait at the Wellcome Collection. Death's Summer Coat addresses this surge of interest by providing a compelling crossover narrative: of interest to a general audience but also to those who are grieving. How can we approach death in a culture dead-set against talking about mortality? Written with humour and humanity, this is an informed and up-to-date work that uses personal narrative and photography, science, history and literature to explore the incredibly diverse - and sometimes just incredible - ways in which humans have dealt with mortality in different times and places. Topics include: how we conceive of death; death and the departed across the globe; the language of death and why it matters; the Victorians; medical science and preservation; death and medical care; and modern-day rituals. Some of the stories are strikingly unfamiliar; others are far more familiar than you might suppose. But all reveal a lot about the present - and about ourselves.