A Is For Arsenic: An ABC of Victorian Death

by Chris Woodyard, Landis Blair (Illustrator), Marsha Hamilton (Editor)

A is for Arsenic is a guide to the basics of Victorian mourning with “death-initions,” and stories resurrected from 19th-century newspapers, brought back to life through the evocative art of Landis Blair. Each entry includes a pen and ink illustration along with 19th century anecdotes ranging from macabre stories to jokes from the Victorian press. (Plus sinister little poems in homage to Edward Gorey.) "A is For Arsenic" cover topics including post-mortem photography, embalming, bodysnatching tips, what to wear when in mourning, and how long to mourn for someone who has left you money in their will. The book also debunks several Victorian mourning myths. There are 26 alphabetical entries―from Arsenic to Zinc, along with an informative glossary, appendix, and detailed bibliography. A – Arsenic; B – Bier; C – Crape; D – Death Token; E – Embalming; F – Fisk Burial Case; G – Gates Ajar; H – Hearse; I – Ice Box; J – Jet; K – Keen; L – Lychgate; M – Mute; N – Necropolis; O – Obelisk; P – Post Mortem; Q – Queen Victoria; R – Resurrection Men; S – Shroud; T – Tear Bottle; U – Undertaker; V – Veil; X – Sexton; W – Weepers; Y – Churchyard; Z – Zinc

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Victorian, Death

208 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2023

Reviews

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

Your family is hiring professional mourners so they don't have to cry about you and then you're placed in an exploding coffin so body snatchers can't sell you to science. The 1800's were wild.

[Lychee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little book and concept. Very surface level information, good for trivia facts more than anything

[Emily Poche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read at least one other of Woodyard’s book, I think that this really hits the mark. Full of really well curated primary sources from journals and newspaper of the time, the A-Z format breaks down a lot of the important topics for understanding the Victorian mourning culture. There’s something very Gorey-esque about the dark rhymes accompanied by black and white illustrations by Landis Blair. The illustrations really add a lot to the book, especially in contextualizing items that may have fallen from present use. Blair’s images are beautiful and respectful, setting them apart from Gordy rip-offs.

I think that the fact that the author included more background information that parses out the historical elements. In the past Woodyard has served more as a curator than narrator, and in this book he does a much more complete job of relaying the information to the reader rather than just presenting a collated and characterized list of newspaper articles.

I think this book is a perfect introduction to anyone who wants to learn more about Victorian mourning, as it doesn’t assume the reader knows anything. However to someone with more knowledge of the customs and the era, it’s a wonderful addition to a nonfiction collection.

[KC · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book would be much more interesting than it actually was. Part encyclopedia, part dictionary, and part collection of historic publication excerpts; most of the chapters quickly became less interesting after the 1st paragraph in each.

[Eline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. Needless to say, i was interested in the topic, but Woodyard broke down various concepts related to Victorian death in a creative and accessible way. His explanations combined with sources from the time made the chapters feel very complete, yet concise. He also found a good balance between informing the reader and including some humor in a book about melancholic and serious subject matter. Blair's beautiful illustrations worked great as a visual tool too, especially for objects that are no longer used today. I would highly recommend this book, and if you need me, i'm sure i'll be somewhere telling someone about this lol.

[Shaie F · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the format—a quick introduction to a Victorian funerary practice followed by excerpts from newspapers on the subject. And not everyone in a particular country or time period agreed on what was best. Some newspapers criticized widows who looked too pretty in their mourning gowns while others ran ads for black crape dresses in the styles of Paris. Those who rented carriages as hearses were naturally opposed to the “indignity” of a body being carried to a gravesite by a newfangled automobile, while older individuals grumbled that they would be carried on a bier to the grave by their neighbors come hell or high water. The book is morbidly witty, wonderfully researched, and illustrated à la Edward Gorey. What’s not to love?

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating and very well researched

[Diana Kaufman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew death could be so entertaining? Love all the facts and articles given.

[Cynthia Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the kind of book that makes one say, "Why didn't I think of writing this?". Wonderful illustrations and short introductory verses carry the reader from one letter to the next. Heavy on quotes from print articles of the day with scattered interpretations from the author made for good explanations of each selected topic.
Despite my personal views that land is for the living ("For dust you are, and to dust you shall return".), I do love to wander through old cemeteries and have seen a few "Z is for Zinc" monuments. I have enjoyed touring a local famous mansion when it recreates the Victorian mourning for a past occupant, showing fine examples of several other letter topics. But I don't believe a reader already needs to have a fondness for this sort of thing to find this book both entertaining and informative.

[Virginia Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

This amusing little book looks at Victorian mourning from A for Arsenic, used in embalming, to Z for zinc tombstones. It is filled with macabre stories from 19th-century newspapers and is illustrated with the delightful Edward Gorey-esque pen and ink drawings of Landis Blair. Each entry is accompanied by a small verse as well. E.g. C is for crape/ The fabric of woe./ Wear it for one year/from head down to toe. An educational and amusing piece of social history.

[Linky May · Rating 4 out of 5]

S is for sad this book ended, I loved learning about different ways we mourned the dead in the past, specifically learning why we have certain fixtures in graveyards that have persisted even if the common meaning of them has faded from the collective public’s consciousness. It had a whimsical tone for a morbid topic that made reading all the more fun. A great book

[Susan Longo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well-researched on the basics of Victorian mourning, customs, rituals and superstitions. I had no idea about Fisks,Ice Box,inheritance powder….Amazing Gorey-esque illustrations by Landis Blair.

[Alexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good - each letter is a different person, place, thing or action of Victorian Death. Sounds odd, I know, but the history is very interesting and shares how those things shaped things today.
Only complaint is some parts are repetitive.

[Angela Boo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 only because a) I wish it was longer and b) being someone from the UK I found it was a bit too American-centric, but aside from that it was great.

[Becky Weeks · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you loved the author’s previous work with The Victorian Book of the Dead, you’ll absolutely love this one. It’s not just informative, it’s fun.

[M1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative. Well sourced. Interesting.