Corpses, Coffins and Crypts: A History of Burial

Rating:
Summary: A Fascinating Read for Kids and Adults Alike
Review: I purchased this book for my 8th grade students to use in a historical research project regarding burial customs throughout history. They LOVED it. The information is presented in understandable terms and avoids scaring young readers.
The only flaw I found with this book is the lack of organization. It was difficult for the students to look up information. I would have preferred more information on catacombs as well. However, the purpose of this book, I believe, was to entertain and stimulate interest. It achieved its purpose. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Long on political correctness; short on facts
Review: I was terribly diappointed in Mrs. Coleman's book. I had expected the book to be about unusual or macabre stories involving corpses, coffins and crypts. Instead, it turned out to be a rather disjointed review of the funeral practices of various cultures sprinkled with grave stone architecture. The author mentions that John Paul Jones body was well preserved because it was wrapped in tinfoil and his coffin was made of lead. A little research would show that tinfoil was non existent in the 18th century and that Jones' body was indeed well perserved because is was submerged in alcohol inside of a sealed lead coffin!
Colemen states that mummies she shows in a photo were "probably photgraphed in Mexico". Probably? The fact of the matter is that the photo is of the Capuchins' catacombs of Palermo. Were these glaring errors not bad enough, Coleman mainly focuses on the accomplishments of deceased minority women, and their final resting place, while making only fleeting references to dead white males and their historic contributions. Some items are interesting such as the Amana caskets and so on but, on balance, is is a woefully disappointing work. It isn't worth buying.

Rating:
Summary: Amazing and inspiring
Review: This is my all time favorite book because it helped me deal with my brother's death. Each chapter contained accurate and amazing information. The fact that the author interwove her experiences made me feel that I wasn't alone. I noticed that the reviewer from River Edge did not even spell the author's name correctly and his correction about John Paul Jones's is not accurate and his comment about her caption is silly. Just because Colman didn't write about the subjects he wanted to read about, he should not trash her book. He should keep looking for those subjects in another book, or write about them himself.