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Graves of the Great & Famous: From Jane Austen to Elvis Presley
Arranged thematically into 75 entries, Graves of the Great & Famous tours the world exploring the resting places of leading artists, thinkers, scientists, sports people, revolutionaries, politicians, and pioneers.
From Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, and Princess Diana to Napoleon Bonaparte, Eva Peron, and John Gotti, this book provides a guide to the graves of some of the most renowned figures (good and bad) throughout history. Some, such as communist leaders Ho Chi Minh and Vladimir Lenin, are interred in great mausoleums, where they are visited by millions each year; others are buried in little-known country graveyards. Featuring photographs of graves, cemeteries, graveyards, and mausoleums, Graves of the Great & Famous is a compact guide to the final resting place of the famous—and infamous.
From Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, and Princess Diana to Napoleon Bonaparte, Eva Peron, and John Gotti, this book provides a guide to the graves of some of the most renowned figures (good and bad) throughout history. Some, such as communist leaders Ho Chi Minh and Vladimir Lenin, are interred in great mausoleums, where they are visited by millions each year; others are buried in little-known country graveyards. Featuring photographs of graves, cemeteries, graveyards, and mausoleums, Graves of the Great & Famous is a compact guide to the final resting place of the famous—and infamous.
- GenresNonfictionDeathHistory
224 pages, Hardcover
Published September 14, 2022
39 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
September 9, 2022
I love travel, art, history and have been known to go out of my way to visit graves and historic places, so this is right up my alley. The book is sections include; Royals/Rulers, Thinkers/Explorers, Revolutionaries/Humanitarians, Writers, Artists, Entertainers, etc. This is a British publication so I wasn’t surprised to find good amount of British graves included. There are international graves but it is primarily western centric. By my quick count I have been to over 40 of the graves showcased in this book. But you get a lot from visiting Westminster Abby and Highgate Cemetery in London and the Pantheon and my favorite cemetery, Pere Lachaise in Paris. It also sent me into a photo dive not remembering if I’d seen the graves for Jane Austin or Catherine the Great, and I had.
The photos are beautiful and it is interesting to see more unusual resting places like Gauguin’s grave in French Polynesia. The blurbs are informative but occasionally lacking information. For example, Karen Carpenter's blurb told about her life and music but not the grave's location. And most of the graves historically signifiant like the tomb of the unknown soldier but the graves for Stan Laurel or Buster Keaton seem arbitrary compared to others that could be chosen.
Overall the book is fun to read through. It is easily something I would borrow from a library although I doubt I would need to own it. My digital copy has formatting issues where blurbs were not always by the photos they were describing. Hopefully that will be fixed. Thank you to NetGalley and Amber Books Ltd., for a temporary ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The photos are beautiful and it is interesting to see more unusual resting places like Gauguin’s grave in French Polynesia. The blurbs are informative but occasionally lacking information. For example, Karen Carpenter's blurb told about her life and music but not the grave's location. And most of the graves historically signifiant like the tomb of the unknown soldier but the graves for Stan Laurel or Buster Keaton seem arbitrary compared to others that could be chosen.
Overall the book is fun to read through. It is easily something I would borrow from a library although I doubt I would need to own it. My digital copy has formatting issues where blurbs were not always by the photos they were describing. Hopefully that will be fixed. Thank you to NetGalley and Amber Books Ltd., for a temporary ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 10, 2022
"A grave is a monument to life". In Graves of the Great and Famous through 75 entries and 150 enchanting photographs we see a variety of final resting places for great and famous who died of natural causes, from assassinations, suicide, accidents and disease. Some graves are understated and humble, some are laden with engraved meaning, others are garden plots and still others are colourful and massive. Though from different life circumstances, we all have one thing in common...death.
At the beginning of each chapter there is information about a particular category with detailed examples.
Categories include Royals, Politicians, Thinkers, Revolutionaries, Writers, Artists, Musicians and Sports (with subcategories). When traveling in Europe I stroll around beautiful and atmospheric cemeteries and also seek out graves of those known to be in the area. My personal favourites include those of Royals, Thinkers, Writers, Musicians and Artists and I have had the fortune to see many in various burial places (some in this book) such as castles, abbeys, monasteries, church yards and gardens. Interestingly, as the author's research shows, the final burial place may not necessarily be final. Many remans have been moved to a different location, some more than once. A few are forgotten in history and later rediscovered.
Some of the many graves detailed here include the likely gravesite of Vlad the Impaler, the beautiful likeness of Elizabeth I, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Princess Diana in a soothing peaceful park, Galeleo Galilei sans a few body parts (but a gorgeous tomb), imposing grave of Karl Marx at Highgate (whose atmospheric seven subterranean cemeteries also house Dante and George Eliot), Marie and Pierre Curie whose coffins are lined to contain their radioactivity), evocative crosses of Hans and Sophie Scholl next to the prison in which they died for distributing anti-Nazism flyers, Jane Austen's brother's interesting choice of words in her Winchester Cathedral resting spot, Oscar Wilde's unique winged figure in Paris, Franz Kafka in the New Jewish cemetery in Prague, Michelangelo's lovely tomb in Florence, Coco Chanel's meaningful headstone, Chopin in Warsaw, Bob Marley's mausoleum in Jamaica and Judy Garland appropriately in Hollywood.
I really like that the author includes thought-provoking quotes from greats such as Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonaparte, Martin Luther and John Keats, Really quite beautiful and profound. This book of surprises not only shows photographs of burial spots but also includes brief stories about the person buried there.
My sincere thank you to Amber Books Ltd. and NetGalley for the privilege of reading and learning from this compelling book.
At the beginning of each chapter there is information about a particular category with detailed examples.
Categories include Royals, Politicians, Thinkers, Revolutionaries, Writers, Artists, Musicians and Sports (with subcategories). When traveling in Europe I stroll around beautiful and atmospheric cemeteries and also seek out graves of those known to be in the area. My personal favourites include those of Royals, Thinkers, Writers, Musicians and Artists and I have had the fortune to see many in various burial places (some in this book) such as castles, abbeys, monasteries, church yards and gardens. Interestingly, as the author's research shows, the final burial place may not necessarily be final. Many remans have been moved to a different location, some more than once. A few are forgotten in history and later rediscovered.
Some of the many graves detailed here include the likely gravesite of Vlad the Impaler, the beautiful likeness of Elizabeth I, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Princess Diana in a soothing peaceful park, Galeleo Galilei sans a few body parts (but a gorgeous tomb), imposing grave of Karl Marx at Highgate (whose atmospheric seven subterranean cemeteries also house Dante and George Eliot), Marie and Pierre Curie whose coffins are lined to contain their radioactivity), evocative crosses of Hans and Sophie Scholl next to the prison in which they died for distributing anti-Nazism flyers, Jane Austen's brother's interesting choice of words in her Winchester Cathedral resting spot, Oscar Wilde's unique winged figure in Paris, Franz Kafka in the New Jewish cemetery in Prague, Michelangelo's lovely tomb in Florence, Coco Chanel's meaningful headstone, Chopin in Warsaw, Bob Marley's mausoleum in Jamaica and Judy Garland appropriately in Hollywood.
I really like that the author includes thought-provoking quotes from greats such as Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonaparte, Martin Luther and John Keats, Really quite beautiful and profound. This book of surprises not only shows photographs of burial spots but also includes brief stories about the person buried there.
My sincere thank you to Amber Books Ltd. and NetGalley for the privilege of reading and learning from this compelling book.
September 14, 2022
As a self-described taphophile (fascinated by cemeteries and tombstones), reading this book was a treat.
This book is a quick read and runs the gamut from dictators to historical figures to celebrities. There's all sorts of trivia included regarding those featured in the book. For instance, the tombs of Pierre and Marie Curie are lead-lined due to their radioactive bodies. Several people have memorial markers but are buried elsewhere; Mozart is an example of this. The gravestones, tombs, and mausoleums are as varied as the people listed.
There's so many photographs in the book and I really appreciated that. I thought the photographer(s) did a great job with the photos, as they were detailed. I did notice the book focuses on graves in the US and Europe and I would have liked to have seen more graves from Asia, and South America. I did like the section on the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, France which is the most visited cemetery in the world. I appreciated the photos of Poet's Corner at Westminster Abbey, as several of my favorite authors and poets are listed there.
I do have three graves I would have liked to have seen included:
- The tombs of the Appiani and Ribaudo famlies, located in the Cimitero Monumentale di Staglieno in Genoa, Italy. The post-punk band Joy Division used photographs of those tombs for covers for the album Closer and 12" single Love Will Tear Us Apart, respectively. This caused controversy as those records were released after their lead singer took his own life.
- The Taj Mahal, as it's the most famous mausoleum in the world.
This book could easily have multiple sequels and I hope it becomes a series.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing this book. All opinions in this review are mine.
This book is a quick read and runs the gamut from dictators to historical figures to celebrities. There's all sorts of trivia included regarding those featured in the book. For instance, the tombs of Pierre and Marie Curie are lead-lined due to their radioactive bodies. Several people have memorial markers but are buried elsewhere; Mozart is an example of this. The gravestones, tombs, and mausoleums are as varied as the people listed.
There's so many photographs in the book and I really appreciated that. I thought the photographer(s) did a great job with the photos, as they were detailed. I did notice the book focuses on graves in the US and Europe and I would have liked to have seen more graves from Asia, and South America. I did like the section on the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, France which is the most visited cemetery in the world. I appreciated the photos of Poet's Corner at Westminster Abbey, as several of my favorite authors and poets are listed there.
I do have three graves I would have liked to have seen included:
- The tombs of the Appiani and Ribaudo famlies, located in the Cimitero Monumentale di Staglieno in Genoa, Italy. The post-punk band Joy Division used photographs of those tombs for covers for the album Closer and 12" single Love Will Tear Us Apart, respectively. This caused controversy as those records were released after their lead singer took his own life.
- The Taj Mahal, as it's the most famous mausoleum in the world.
This book could easily have multiple sequels and I hope it becomes a series.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing this book. All opinions in this review are mine.
November 15, 2022
Well, this was as well-produced as I expected insofar as the pictures are wonderful and the writing has the conciseness ideal for a book about whose topic you have no intention of becoming an expert on. But it was really higgledy-piggledy. It aims to be well-structured, with a brief introduction telling us what we'll find in the seven sections to come. But all that quickly went out the window. The main core of the text, which is a biography of the people concerned – welcome, when featuring lesser-remembered lives such as Haile Selassie and suchlike – can be interrupted by four or perhaps eight pages of box-outs and photographic spreads concerning other interred people of renown, meaning that the end of the short chapters can be way away from the start, and the relevant images and pull-quotes are just put in wherever they more or less fit.
Not only that, the second chunk, on "Thinkers, Scientists and Explorers" soon finds it cannot cover many of them, due to the fact Marx's Highgate Cemetery, and then the origin of the Poet's Corner and the lauded scientific graves, both at Westminster Abbey, need to be discussed. That pattern is followed throughout – famous burial grounds becoming the focus of the writing as much as certain obituaries.
It's not a complete failure – it beats just being told there are x amount of places favoured by Hollywood if you can actually see some of the grounds and then close in on some of the more noted stones and vaults. It's a pleasant browse throughout, full of relevant trivia, if not perhaps all of it – I didn't know that whatever Shakespeare may have left, beyond the second best bed, may have been dissipated due to people's refusal to have sons, or even children, but I am sure I was told that a flood would have taken his bones some way distant from the cursed stone left in Stratford's church in his honour. I think though your appreciation of this will hinge on the randomness of it. Yes, a cemetery is full of one disparate entity next to another, with happenstance putting prince next to pauper, but the meandering and disjointed text here, if that was what you came for, could well be a frustration. Three and a half stars, when the look of the book promised a lot more.
Not only that, the second chunk, on "Thinkers, Scientists and Explorers" soon finds it cannot cover many of them, due to the fact Marx's Highgate Cemetery, and then the origin of the Poet's Corner and the lauded scientific graves, both at Westminster Abbey, need to be discussed. That pattern is followed throughout – famous burial grounds becoming the focus of the writing as much as certain obituaries.
It's not a complete failure – it beats just being told there are x amount of places favoured by Hollywood if you can actually see some of the grounds and then close in on some of the more noted stones and vaults. It's a pleasant browse throughout, full of relevant trivia, if not perhaps all of it – I didn't know that whatever Shakespeare may have left, beyond the second best bed, may have been dissipated due to people's refusal to have sons, or even children, but I am sure I was told that a flood would have taken his bones some way distant from the cursed stone left in Stratford's church in his honour. I think though your appreciation of this will hinge on the randomness of it. Yes, a cemetery is full of one disparate entity next to another, with happenstance putting prince next to pauper, but the meandering and disjointed text here, if that was what you came for, could well be a frustration. Three and a half stars, when the look of the book promised a lot more.
April 27, 2023
Alastair Horne's book Graves of the Great and Famous offers an intriguing perspective on the final resting places of a number of notable figures from throughout history. This picture and info book provides readers with a unique opportunity to learn more about some of the most prominent individuals in history, through exploring their gravesites and memorials. The oldest graves include King Richard; the more recent burials are from just a few years ago.
Throughout the book, Horne's writing style is both concise and engaging, allowing readers to become fully immersed in the fascinating stories of these remarkable people. Using a combination of historical facts and personal observations, Horne offers a carefully woven tapestry of the individual and their lives.
Interesting facts include:
The Curies are buried in lead-lined coffins due to their bodies' radioactivity.
Dian Fossey is buried in a graveyard in Rwanda, that she established for the gorillas she lived among.
William Shakespeare died on his birthday- April 23.
Paul Gauguin is buried in French Polynesia (Hiva Oa) and has a statue of the Tahitian goddess of mourning, Oviri, beside his grave.
Elizabeth Taylor's funeral was purposely delayed 15 mins because her will stipulated that she be late for her own funeral.
One of the most interesting facets of the book is Horne's exploration of the different burial practices and traditions from throughout history and across cultures. Readers will be fascinated to learn about the different ways in which various societies have chosen to remember and honor their beloved leaders and cultural icons throughout the ages.
The book also features beautiful photographs that bring these gravesites and memorials to life, adding depth and dimension to the experiences and stories being told. If you love history or trivia, or are attracted to the haunting beauty of cemeteries old and new, this book's for you!
****Many thanks to Netgalley and Amber Books Books for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Throughout the book, Horne's writing style is both concise and engaging, allowing readers to become fully immersed in the fascinating stories of these remarkable people. Using a combination of historical facts and personal observations, Horne offers a carefully woven tapestry of the individual and their lives.
Interesting facts include:
The Curies are buried in lead-lined coffins due to their bodies' radioactivity.
Dian Fossey is buried in a graveyard in Rwanda, that she established for the gorillas she lived among.
William Shakespeare died on his birthday- April 23.
Paul Gauguin is buried in French Polynesia (Hiva Oa) and has a statue of the Tahitian goddess of mourning, Oviri, beside his grave.
Elizabeth Taylor's funeral was purposely delayed 15 mins because her will stipulated that she be late for her own funeral.
One of the most interesting facets of the book is Horne's exploration of the different burial practices and traditions from throughout history and across cultures. Readers will be fascinated to learn about the different ways in which various societies have chosen to remember and honor their beloved leaders and cultural icons throughout the ages.
The book also features beautiful photographs that bring these gravesites and memorials to life, adding depth and dimension to the experiences and stories being told. If you love history or trivia, or are attracted to the haunting beauty of cemeteries old and new, this book's for you!
****Many thanks to Netgalley and Amber Books Books for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
October 2, 2022
Many thanks to Amber Books for the review copy.
This romp through the graves of famous rulers, celebrities, artists, performers and more is a perfectly fun book to flip through rather than to read word for word.
Unfortunately, I made the mistake of doing the latter. The writing is fine, though it gives the most bland and sanitized accounts of any of these people. Paul Gauguin's behavior in Tahiti, where his grave is located, is not mentioned, nor are Coco Chanel's Nazi sympathies. Frequently careers are explained in a quite short paragraph or even a few lines. You won't learn anything here that a nice Wikipedia skim won't give you.
The real issue is the book's organization. The book contains longer essays about a particular person or cemetery, short essays about figures (typically 1-3 paragraphs), and then assorted photographs accompanied by brief 1-2 sentence captions. Unfortunately these are all scrambled together in ways that make for an annoying reading experience. For example the essay about Mary Shelley stretches from pages 112-121, but is interrupted by photographs with captions of the graves of George Eliot, Victor Hugo, Leo Tolstoy, and Ivan Franko, as well as short essays about Hans Christian Anderson and Oscar Wilde. Some authors get both longer essays and shorter essays, for some reason, and they frequently repeat themselves. This organization and layout is nuts.
So, take it from me: skim, look at pictures.
This romp through the graves of famous rulers, celebrities, artists, performers and more is a perfectly fun book to flip through rather than to read word for word.
Unfortunately, I made the mistake of doing the latter. The writing is fine, though it gives the most bland and sanitized accounts of any of these people. Paul Gauguin's behavior in Tahiti, where his grave is located, is not mentioned, nor are Coco Chanel's Nazi sympathies. Frequently careers are explained in a quite short paragraph or even a few lines. You won't learn anything here that a nice Wikipedia skim won't give you.
The real issue is the book's organization. The book contains longer essays about a particular person or cemetery, short essays about figures (typically 1-3 paragraphs), and then assorted photographs accompanied by brief 1-2 sentence captions. Unfortunately these are all scrambled together in ways that make for an annoying reading experience. For example the essay about Mary Shelley stretches from pages 112-121, but is interrupted by photographs with captions of the graves of George Eliot, Victor Hugo, Leo Tolstoy, and Ivan Franko, as well as short essays about Hans Christian Anderson and Oscar Wilde. Some authors get both longer essays and shorter essays, for some reason, and they frequently repeat themselves. This organization and layout is nuts.
So, take it from me: skim, look at pictures.
September 16, 2022
Graves of the Great & Famous, by Alastair Horne, is an attractive and interesting look at the graves (broadly defined) and lives of a number of famous people.
To admit one's fascination in cemeteries, funeral rites, and history is to join with an extremely large number of fellow enthusiasts, and this book will appeal to all of us. The photographs are very good, there are brief summaries of lives and/or deaths, and some of the more famous cemeteries are given a little bit of a description as well.
This doesn't go into great detail on any one aspect, but that also isn't the point of the book. It is to let those who may never get a chance to see but a handful of these the opportunity to see the others. Even those of us who plan visits to cemeteries when we travel aren't likely to visit all of these. And looking at pictures of the ones you have visited will be nostalgic, at least it was for me.
Highly recommended for both those interested in burial sites and those more interested in celebrities and where they have been laid (or spread, or just memorialized).
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
To admit one's fascination in cemeteries, funeral rites, and history is to join with an extremely large number of fellow enthusiasts, and this book will appeal to all of us. The photographs are very good, there are brief summaries of lives and/or deaths, and some of the more famous cemeteries are given a little bit of a description as well.
This doesn't go into great detail on any one aspect, but that also isn't the point of the book. It is to let those who may never get a chance to see but a handful of these the opportunity to see the others. Even those of us who plan visits to cemeteries when we travel aren't likely to visit all of these. And looking at pictures of the ones you have visited will be nostalgic, at least it was for me.
Highly recommended for both those interested in burial sites and those more interested in celebrities and where they have been laid (or spread, or just memorialized).
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
September 9, 2022
"A grave is a monument to a life. "
When I seeing remarkable gravestones and esthetic tombs, I often intrigue to know more about the stories behind the stones. Graves of the Great Famous is one of illustration book which provided reader with information and artistic photographs.
All chapters divide by several categories dedicated to different proffesion such as Royals, rulers and politicians. Thinkers, scientists and explorers. Revolutionaries, rebels and humanitarians,. Writers, poets and playwrights. Artists and designers. Musicians, entertainers and sports people. Actors and directors.
Personally I devoured this book very fast. Not only provide artistic pictures, the narration also enjoyable and easy to understand. The story take me to following memorial journey around the world, across millennia and saw life glimpse from each public figures. I found snippets story about our country first President gravestones too.
Thank you Netgalley and Amber Books Ltd, Amber Books for provided my copy. I am grateful and my thoughts are my own.
When I seeing remarkable gravestones and esthetic tombs, I often intrigue to know more about the stories behind the stones. Graves of the Great Famous is one of illustration book which provided reader with information and artistic photographs.
All chapters divide by several categories dedicated to different proffesion such as Royals, rulers and politicians. Thinkers, scientists and explorers. Revolutionaries, rebels and humanitarians,. Writers, poets and playwrights. Artists and designers. Musicians, entertainers and sports people. Actors and directors.
Personally I devoured this book very fast. Not only provide artistic pictures, the narration also enjoyable and easy to understand. The story take me to following memorial journey around the world, across millennia and saw life glimpse from each public figures. I found snippets story about our country first President gravestones too.
Thank you Netgalley and Amber Books Ltd, Amber Books for provided my copy. I am grateful and my thoughts are my own.
March 30, 2023
This book is a complete mess that probably should have gone through better editors. The book is crammed full of so many graves that the author finally just started throwing them in random places and making mistakes along the way. Let's start with the sections on people and their graves which are okay until you turn the page to read more. Instead of the rest of the section you get a different person's biography and grave. Though I hate the author did this I do wish the author stuck with this simplified design which is a small biography on one side and the grave on the other. The author may have thought of it because I notice a few has both the long sections and the simplified versions. Back to the pages with the longer biography sections you get photos on the side and you'll soon discover that a large chunk are photos of other graves and that the brief bio in the captions is the only information you'll get on them. I did notice once a section had no grave photo at all because the only photo was for someone elses grave. I could go on with so many other problems but I'll just say it was okay even though it needed tons of work to make it better.
September 14, 2022
What a wonderful book, filled with gorgeous photographs, historical facts and interesting anecdotes. Some might think that looking at pictures of graves is creepy, but there is beauty in cemeteries. Horne knows this. Some are humble burials. Others, spectacular mausoleums. The text features the stories of the larger cemeteries, including the ones in Paris, London and LA. From Julius Caesar to Elvis, explorers, actors, dictators, composers, everyone who is anyone is included here. If Jack Lemmon and Laurel Hardy could make fun of death, it can’t be all that bad (Groucho Marx is missing though!). These graveyards and the people who reside there, are not only in the West, but also in Asia and Africa. The stories of these lives and deaths are also remarkable. As depressing as death is, this book shows the beauty in what remains.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Amber Books!
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Amber Books!
September 15, 2022
Princess Fuzzypants here: It might seem macabre to some but graveyards can be endlessly fascinating. To wander amongst the stones and wonder what lives those interred might have led. I know many people enjoy doing this.
Of course, when it comes to famous people, there is little to wonder about. For the most part, if we are there, we have some semblance of an idea of who they were and what they were like. But if you do not know and are curious, this is a fine book to fill in the gaps. It tells the story of the person, shows their grave and also puts them into perspective with other people. It could be a slightly eccentric form of tourism but with a book like this, you could certainly do the rounds.
Easy to read, informative and filled with great photos. I give it five purrs and two paws up.
Of course, when it comes to famous people, there is little to wonder about. For the most part, if we are there, we have some semblance of an idea of who they were and what they were like. But if you do not know and are curious, this is a fine book to fill in the gaps. It tells the story of the person, shows their grave and also puts them into perspective with other people. It could be a slightly eccentric form of tourism but with a book like this, you could certainly do the rounds.
Easy to read, informative and filled with great photos. I give it five purrs and two paws up.
September 18, 2022
It's a known fact that I love cemeteries. This book takes readers around the world to some of the graves of the great and famous. Divided into categories like world leaders, writers, and actors the book keeps to general themes. Some of the cemeteries and people featured get pages of writeup while others get a small caption. While each person featured is someone significant, some of the information shared and who got long write-up vs. short write-ups seemed arbitrary. Most of the graves featured said where they were located but there were a few that were lacking this information. I also found the layout of the book confusing with insets and random pictures of graves intermixed with unrelated sections of text. The photos in the book were beautiful and all in color which was nice. This is not a book I see myself buying but I did enjoy flipping through it.
September 23, 2022
I have always been fascinated by death and graveyards, which I accept is a peculiar oddity of mine. However, this book was truly fascinating as I found myself regularly in awe of the beautiful memorials and landmarks many of the people who were mentioned in the book. The information of the people's lives and how they came to be entombed at those places was a rather interesting addition, it may even come up in a future pub quiz and so know I have gained that knowledge.
The pictures were a beautiful addition as this would be a different, unusual but beautiful coffee table book I would happily have in my home and I think it would definitely appeal to customer of bookshops when looking at places to see when in specific areas such as Highgate cemetery in London and the Pere Lachaise cememtery in Paris where some of the great people of our past generations have been entombed.
The pictures were a beautiful addition as this would be a different, unusual but beautiful coffee table book I would happily have in my home and I think it would definitely appeal to customer of bookshops when looking at places to see when in specific areas such as Highgate cemetery in London and the Pere Lachaise cememtery in Paris where some of the great people of our past generations have been entombed.
October 17, 2022
Visiting cemeteries is one of my favorite things to do when I travel, so this book intrigued me. It is very well written, and researched, and the pictures are beautiful, but the reason I would not give this book five stars is that most of the graves that I was interested in were not included.
From a cultural point of view, they were sufficient, but from an interest in historic civilization, they were lacking. Two examples are Lord Byron’s grave and the graves of the Mithridates kings in Turkey. (I have seen both and was looking forward to seeing them in this book.)
While I appreciate the author could not include every important grave in the world, the ones included were just not as interesting to me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#GravesoftheGreatandFamous #NetGalley
From a cultural point of view, they were sufficient, but from an interest in historic civilization, they were lacking. Two examples are Lord Byron’s grave and the graves of the Mithridates kings in Turkey. (I have seen both and was looking forward to seeing them in this book.)
While I appreciate the author could not include every important grave in the world, the ones included were just not as interesting to me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#GravesoftheGreatandFamous #NetGalley
September 14, 2022
Graves of the Great & Famous is a collection of the memorials of some of the most notable icons throughout history. The book is broken up into several different sections ranging from royalty and politicians to artists and musicians. There are over 100 photographs throughout the volume and accompanying short descriptions of each grave site.
The book contains a good mix of some of the more “popular” and well-known memorials but there are quite a few I had not seen before.
I do think the entries could have been arranged better but there is an index in the back of the book which I found helpful.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Amber Books Ltd!
The book contains a good mix of some of the more “popular” and well-known memorials but there are quite a few I had not seen before.
I do think the entries could have been arranged better but there is an index in the back of the book which I found helpful.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Amber Books Ltd!
September 16, 2022
I really enjoyed this book and it was a great reference guide too
The book was well laid out and it was bright too with the text being clear to read and follow too.
The images used were great and they really showed off the exquisite work that had been put in to some of the sites. I loved the mix of old and new graves, some were really a wonderful tribute to the person that showed their personalities and some were simple touches that said a lot.
The book covers the graves and memorials for a huge range for people from Royals, Politicians, Thinkers, Revolutionaries, Writers, Artists, Musicians and Sports over a very wide span of time too and across the world.
It is 5 stars from me for this one – very highly recommended!
The book was well laid out and it was bright too with the text being clear to read and follow too.
The images used were great and they really showed off the exquisite work that had been put in to some of the sites. I loved the mix of old and new graves, some were really a wonderful tribute to the person that showed their personalities and some were simple touches that said a lot.
The book covers the graves and memorials for a huge range for people from Royals, Politicians, Thinkers, Revolutionaries, Writers, Artists, Musicians and Sports over a very wide span of time too and across the world.
It is 5 stars from me for this one – very highly recommended!
October 4, 2022
I do love a graveyard and this book is packed full of some of the most famous peoples' final resting places and it was just fascinating to see their spots all over the world.
From royals, to scientists, writers, actors and musicians, there's a wide range of names we all know and where, and how, their graves look - from the most simple and understated to the most flamboyant and ornate.
It was really fascinating to see how different cultures honour their dead and there are photos from all over the globe so you really get such a wide range of insights into settings. There's a great mix of history and photos in this book and it was fun to find out things that I never knew about various famous people.
From royals, to scientists, writers, actors and musicians, there's a wide range of names we all know and where, and how, their graves look - from the most simple and understated to the most flamboyant and ornate.
It was really fascinating to see how different cultures honour their dead and there are photos from all over the globe so you really get such a wide range of insights into settings. There's a great mix of history and photos in this book and it was fun to find out things that I never knew about various famous people.
July 18, 2023
窥探他人的身后事是人的欲望的一种，尤其是名人们。本书集结了一百多位历史名人，从简.奥斯汀到猫王，从凯撒大帝到玛丽莲.梦露。分为皇室政客、思想家和科学家、文学家和艺术家等；当然包括了孔子和马克思与毛。从人物的大致生平到死后的安葬和迁葬等，配备了精美的照片。不过看完后我觉得死后哀荣再久，也只是后人的尊崇，对死者的意义不大。
还有几个全球著名的墓园地，里面安葬着人类历史上最优秀的人，如英国的威斯敏斯特教堂、海格特墓地、巴黎的拉雪兹神父墓地。这些坟墓风格各异，还有的是死者生前自己设计的，比如香奈儿。漫步这些墓园，感受到的就是最优秀的人类的集合地，至今仍有无数的人来拜祭、献上鲜花和吻痕。
书中人物涉猎领域广泛，有好多自己不熟悉的艺术家和影星以及一些政治家，边看边谷歌搜索相关知识，读得不是很快。
在书中也发现了一些有意思的事。比如1970年代早期，埃塞俄比亚由于饥荒饿死了几千人，皇帝塞拉西用牛肉喂养狮子的照片流出后，引起百姓愤怒，军队政变推翻了这个皇帝。（才几千人唉！比不了！）
里面还有一处错误：“十年树木，百年树人。”最早出自于先秦《管子·权修》。书中把这句话当成了胡志明讲的。（准备联系出版社，让他们改正。）
书中提到了好几位玩硬核摇滚的超级明星，结果都是些作死的主,使劲嗑药，Jim.Morrison,Jimi.Hendrix, Janis.Joplin也在Jimi.Hendrix过世的16日之后，都停留在了27岁。这些人被组织进了27俱乐部。这些成员都死于27岁，主要为流行音乐家、艺术家、演员和运动员，他们的死因多半离不开毒品或酒精滥用、被杀害与自杀等暴力手段、以及交通事故。貓王42岁时，也死于用药过度。看来明星们对自己的生命重视程度不够。
多看几眼死亡，能让自己多理解生命的意义。把什么留给未来，是腐朽的躯体还是荣誉？或者被遗忘？全凭我们现在的选择。
还有几个全球著名的墓园地，里面安葬着人类历史上最优秀的人，如英国的威斯敏斯特教堂、海格特墓地、巴黎的拉雪兹神父墓地。这些坟墓风格各异，还有的是死者生前自己设计的，比如香奈儿。漫步这些墓园，感受到的就是最优秀的人类的集合地，至今仍有无数的人来拜祭、献上鲜花和吻痕。
书中人物涉猎领域广泛，有好多自己不熟悉的艺术家和影星以及一些政治家，边看边谷歌搜索相关知识，读得不是很快。
在书中也发现了一些有意思的事。比如1970年代早期，埃塞俄比亚由于饥荒饿死了几千人，皇帝塞拉西用牛肉喂养狮子的照片流出后，引起百姓愤怒，军队政变推翻了这个皇帝。（才几千人唉！比不了！）
里面还有一处错误：“十年树木，百年树人。”最早出自于先秦《管子·权修》。书中把这句话当成了胡志明讲的。（准备联系出版社，让他们改正。）
书中提到了好几位玩硬核摇滚的超级明星，结果都是些作死的主,使劲嗑药，Jim.Morrison,Jimi.Hendrix, Janis.Joplin也在Jimi.Hendrix过世的16日之后，都停留在了27岁。这些人被组织进了27俱乐部。这些成员都死于27岁，主要为流行音乐家、艺术家、演员和运动员，他们的死因多半离不开毒品或酒精滥用、被杀害与自杀等暴力手段、以及交通事故。貓王42岁时，也死于用药过度。看来明星们对自己的生命重视程度不够。
多看几眼死亡，能让自己多理解生命的意义。把什么留给未来，是腐朽的躯体还是荣誉？或者被遗忘？全凭我们现在的选择。
September 22, 2022
This book had fantastic photographs and covered a wide range of interesting graves! However, I found the descriptions of the graves themselves to be a bit lackluster-- there is always so much symbolism in how graves are designed and decorated and I thought the text would have benefitted from more description of those aspects rather than just bite-sized biographies of the individuals. Additionally, the formatting was rather chaotic and distracted from the overall enjoyment of reading the text. I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for a surface-level guide to famous graves.
Thanks to NetGalley and Amber Books Ltd. for this ARC!
Thanks to NetGalley and Amber Books Ltd. for this ARC!
November 7, 2022
This was such an interesting read that showcased the graves of some of the most famous people throughtout the centuries from all over the globe, from the world of literature, politics, science, music, philosophy, sociology, psychology, world leaders, royalty and many many more.
A lot of the people I knew before this book and some I didnt and I learnt a lot about both those I already knew and those that I knew little to nothing about.
I also loved the inclusionof the pictures of the grave as it was fascinating to see how grand some were compared to others, and some of the people that I expecte to have flamboyant and grand graves often had wuite simple ones and vice versa.
A lot of the people I knew before this book and some I didnt and I learnt a lot about both those I already knew and those that I knew little to nothing about.
I also loved the inclusionof the pictures of the grave as it was fascinating to see how grand some were compared to others, and some of the people that I expecte to have flamboyant and grand graves often had wuite simple ones and vice versa.
September 19, 2022
Graves of the Great and Famous is a gorgeous compendium of interesting burials and monuments of various royals, presidents, rulers, movie and TV stars, and the pop culture elite. With many, many gorgeous photographs and concise storytelling, this book is a wonderful addition to anyone's library. A quick and entertaining read, perfect for anyone looking for something a little different!
Thank you to NetGalley and Amber Books Ltd for providing me with a digital copy for review. The opinions expressed here are my own and do not reflect those of the author or publisher.
Thank you to NetGalley and Amber Books Ltd for providing me with a digital copy for review. The opinions expressed here are my own and do not reflect those of the author or publisher.
September 10, 2022
This was an interesting book featuring a lot of famous graves. I was surprised by how plain some of them were but others were very elaborate. The book discusses a lot more famous people than are shown in this book, which while cool, I wish all the graves discussed were shown. If you are interested in graveyards this will probably be a good book for you.
*ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.*
*ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.*
August 30, 2024
Interesting topic and pictures but layout and design was not thought out. Pictures were randomly placed that didn’t match text. There were essays that would be separated with other biographic entries which made it seem that pages were missing.
September 16, 2022
I found it informative and entertaining, a book that made me learn something more about people featured.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
September 24, 2022
This book does exactly what it says on the tin. Beautifully photography, great descriptions, interesting facts I totally loved it. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy
October 1, 2022
I love exploring cemeteries and thought this would be a great book to discover more amazing cemeteries. I was so disappointed. There were formatting issues which made it hard to match text with photos. But with a digital copy this is probably bound to happen. The problem I found most upsetting were the factual errors! For example, Elvis Presley was originally buried in Boston. I don't think so! And Abraham Lincoln was buried in his completed tomb in 1874, "six years" after his assassination (1865). Maybe my math is off, but I'm thinking nine years! These errors may not bother other readers, but when I read non-fiction, I expect the proofreaders to fix these problems prior to publication.
October 3, 2022
Such an interesting premise and so well executed. This is no tourists guide to graveyards - this is a social history which respectfully captures the memories of many influential people.
October 8, 2022
Fascinating book, plenty information with photos etc, always been interested with graves as they are look in to the past so much history with each grave and author honours that
November 2, 2022
This book was so interesting. I really enjoyed reading about the person and then seeing where they were laid to rest. Also some had been moved so it was cool to find out why.
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