Death in Early America: The History and Folklore of Customs and Superstitions of Early Medicine, Funerals, Burials, and Mourning

by Margaret Coffin

Book by Coffin, Margaret

Genres: Nonfiction, Death, History

252 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1976

Reviews

[Stephanie Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a disappointment. The book seems to be filled with plenty of anecdotes, but no time period named or mentioned, so the reader is unaware if this event happened in the 17th, 18th, or 19th centuries. Plus, there seems to be incidences that happened in the 20th century, which hardly qualifies as "Early America". To make matters more frustrating, while there is a bibliography, there are no footnotes or endnotes, so if you read something interesting and would like to pursue that topic more, the reader does not know what book or article to read further.

[Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doesn't delve very deeply into any one subject.
Great introduction to early American death customs.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the fact that with this subject matter the author’s last name is Coffin.
Some of this book is uncomfortably outdated/racist/classist but there are some interesting stories and photos that are wonderful to have preserved.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mildly disappointing read for me. Not that I was hoping for anything lurid, but given the subject matter it was surprisingly dull. Too vague in the specifics to be really engaging, and too anecdotal to be academic. Just kind of a meh experience.

[Christy ofthewoods · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I was hoping for.

[Geof Sage · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is no history here. It is a collection of observations, and two tacked on chapters at the end. Even in the seventies, the author's attitudes would have been embarrassing

The entirely perfect name Margaret Coffin was entirely wasted on this book.

[Christie · Rating 4 out of 5]

a lot of fun to read despite poor organization