What do you think?
Rate this book
Digging Up the Dead: A History of Notable American Reburials
With Digging Up the Dead, Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Michael Kammen reveals a treasure trove of fascinating, surprising, and occasionally gruesome stories of exhumation and reburial throughout American history. Taking us to the contested grave sites of such figures as Sitting Bull, John Paul Jones, Frank Lloyd Wright, Daniel Boone, Jefferson Davis, and even Abraham Lincoln, Kammen explores how complicated interactions of regional pride, shifting reputations, and evolving burial practices led to public and often emotional battles over the final resting places of famous figures. Grave-robbing, skull-fondling, cases of mistaken identity, and the financial lures of cemetery tourism all come into play as Kammen delves deeply into this little-known—yet surprisingly persistent—aspect of American history.
Simultaneously insightful and interesting, masterly and macabre, Digging Up the Dead reminds us that the stories of American history don’t always end when the key players pass on. Rather, the battle—over reputations, interpretations, and, last but far from least, possession of the remains themselves—is often just beginning.
Please The digital edition does not include 1 of the 40 images that appear in the physical edition.
Simultaneously insightful and interesting, masterly and macabre, Digging Up the Dead reminds us that the stories of American history don’t always end when the key players pass on. Rather, the battle—over reputations, interpretations, and, last but far from least, possession of the remains themselves—is often just beginning.
Please The digital edition does not include 1 of the 40 images that appear in the physical edition.
- GenresHistoryNonfictionDeath
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 15, 2010
2 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
About the author
Michael Kammen
58 books6 followersMichael Gedaliah Kammen was a professor of American cultural history at Cornell University. He won the Pulitzer Prize (History, 1973) for his book, People of Paradox: An Inquiry Concerning the Origins of American Civilization.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 15, 2010
I wanted to like this book, in fact I expected to like this book. I mean, who wouldn't want to hear bizarre stories of people being dug up and reburied for various reasons? I love sort-of "weird history" books, and this one definitely fit that category. And the actual stories of reburial were brilliant - that of John Trumbull, who was reburied not once, but twice (making total burials 3), and his wife who was reburied once more than he, was quite interesting. Most of the stories were.
For me, however, the format and style of the book - the writing between the stories - detracted and made it hard to read. I would have preferred to have each section of stories have an introduction, an overview of what the stories in that part had in common, or some background to the overarching idea behind those reburials, and then just have each story on its own. Instead, I felt like I was reading a never-ending term paper where the author attempted to integrate all his research into one flowing work.
The amount of research Kammen did for this book is astounding, and it must have been a very interesting journey for him to take. I found most of the accounts fascinating, amusing, sad, entertaining, and educational all at once. If it was just a bit lighter on in-between verbiage and broken up differently, it would have been the perfect book.
For me, however, the format and style of the book - the writing between the stories - detracted and made it hard to read. I would have preferred to have each section of stories have an introduction, an overview of what the stories in that part had in common, or some background to the overarching idea behind those reburials, and then just have each story on its own. Instead, I felt like I was reading a never-ending term paper where the author attempted to integrate all his research into one flowing work.
The amount of research Kammen did for this book is astounding, and it must have been a very interesting journey for him to take. I found most of the accounts fascinating, amusing, sad, entertaining, and educational all at once. If it was just a bit lighter on in-between verbiage and broken up differently, it would have been the perfect book.
Want to read
June 3, 2010I only read 35 pages and found it to be incredibly boring. I may return to it in the future, but probably not. It does have a very nice index though.
June 30, 2012
This book is really hard to appreciate. Although the research is well done and the stories are entertaining, the book as a whole is not that interesting. I feel like this is a version of 'Lives of the Rich and Famous', only with dead people. I will quite often use these kinds of books as springboards for more in-depth knowledge, but I am at a loss on this one. Too bad it didn't go into any detail on everyday people as there really is quite a lot of information available in the Western region about the Spanish, early American settlers, the Chinese who built the railroads and worked the mines, the buffalo soldiers who served so well. Plus, I feel that slave graveyards should have been dealt with in detail; quite a bit of oral history plus archeologic digs available. However, I did like the author's last two chapters. They really made reading the rest of the book worthwhile. I also found that re-reading the beginning after I finished the book helped explain what the author was trying to say. Not a book I plan on visiting again in a long time. Too bad
July 14, 2010
Honestly, a lot less interesting than you would expect, given that it involves digging up graves. Most of this is Kammen's retelling of the stories of a host of American reburials, without much analysis, or even any of the nasty bits. In other words, a quick read, but a bit dull.
December 22, 2011
Surprisingly boring.
January 20, 2022
This work of non-history reviews stories of exhumation and reburial of notable Americans throughout history. Covering individuals including Jefferson Davis, James Monroe, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Daniel Boone, Edgar Allan Poe, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Frank Lloyd Wright, and many others, this was an interesting overview of a clearly widespread practice of moving the dead to new locations after initial burial. While obviously a bit macabre, this book sheds light on a popular practice throughout history both in American and other countries and discusses its relevance and significance.
"Historically considered, reburial has come to mean a figurative form of resurrection - primarily the ressurection of reputation, at least for a while. It has also meant, with the passage of time, renewed honor and frequently some form of reconciliation, or at least movement in the direction of reconciliation - familial, sectional, and above all national" (7). Kammen's history provides an interesting anthology of sorts on the practice of reburial, as well as an assessment of its significance and meaning in a primarily cultural and political sense. Almost without exception, the figures covered in this book are male and well known. Most held a larger role nationally or politically. Many of the reburials are instigated because of a sense of ownership where individuals are moved either to the place of birth origin or to a more prominent place considering more befitting and distinguished. Most, although certainly not all, reburials are conducted with respect and a religious service to accompany the act of reinternment.
One of the wildest details I learned reading this book is how much the practice of burial has changed over time. "During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries only an estimated 5-7 percent of the dead escaped the fate of a common trench" (16). This is one of the many reasons why reburials in the past have largely affected well known and affluent individuals. This context and background helps inform the discussion of reburials that Kammen focuses on. And, while not alluded to in the summary, Kammen does spend some time talking about burials and reburials in history and outside of America, as they naturally influenced and informed practices in American history.
In many ways, this book functions more as a collection of historical anecdotes rather than a cohesive history. A brief bio for most of the individuals discussed is given, followed by an overview of the circumstances surrounding their original death and resting place and then what led to their reburial. I think I was searching for a greater thesis or cohesion while reading this, but it truly is just an interesting collection of people, all joined by their common experience of having their bodies dug up and moved. I admire Kamman's research stamina. I imagine that the process of identifying reburials and sifting through to narrow down who to include was a time consuming and difficult process.
3.5 stars
"Historically considered, reburial has come to mean a figurative form of resurrection - primarily the ressurection of reputation, at least for a while. It has also meant, with the passage of time, renewed honor and frequently some form of reconciliation, or at least movement in the direction of reconciliation - familial, sectional, and above all national" (7). Kammen's history provides an interesting anthology of sorts on the practice of reburial, as well as an assessment of its significance and meaning in a primarily cultural and political sense. Almost without exception, the figures covered in this book are male and well known. Most held a larger role nationally or politically. Many of the reburials are instigated because of a sense of ownership where individuals are moved either to the place of birth origin or to a more prominent place considering more befitting and distinguished. Most, although certainly not all, reburials are conducted with respect and a religious service to accompany the act of reinternment.
One of the wildest details I learned reading this book is how much the practice of burial has changed over time. "During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries only an estimated 5-7 percent of the dead escaped the fate of a common trench" (16). This is one of the many reasons why reburials in the past have largely affected well known and affluent individuals. This context and background helps inform the discussion of reburials that Kammen focuses on. And, while not alluded to in the summary, Kammen does spend some time talking about burials and reburials in history and outside of America, as they naturally influenced and informed practices in American history.
In many ways, this book functions more as a collection of historical anecdotes rather than a cohesive history. A brief bio for most of the individuals discussed is given, followed by an overview of the circumstances surrounding their original death and resting place and then what led to their reburial. I think I was searching for a greater thesis or cohesion while reading this, but it truly is just an interesting collection of people, all joined by their common experience of having their bodies dug up and moved. I admire Kamman's research stamina. I imagine that the process of identifying reburials and sifting through to narrow down who to include was a time consuming and difficult process.
3.5 stars
December 8, 2018
I wanted to love this book more than I did. It is written in a very dry way, so I wasn't surprised to discover that the author is a professor emeritus at Cornell. Bess Lovejoy's Rest in Pieces is a much more fun text on the same subject, although both books don't really cover the same ground.
This book is exhaustive when it comes to American war heroes who were recovered from forgotten graves and reburied with more attention. In fact, if the Revolutionary War fascinates you, you will appreciate the "Siting and Reciting of Patriotism" chapter.
I wish the chapter on "Problematic Graves" had been longer. I hadn't considered the tourist value of famous people's graves beyond Jim Morrison and Hollywood Forever, so I was fascinated by the process of moving gravesites to be more accessible, along with the struggles cities went to in order to hang on to their favored sons.
In fact, the book is thick with dead white men. I wish the author had cast a wider net. I was excited when the African Burial Ground in Manhattan was mentioned. Jimi Hendrix could have been, too, or Martin Luther King Jr. or Hattie McDaniel (who wasn't moved, in the end). The graves removed from Manzanar might have rated some attention, or the Chinese history of moving the bones back home during the Gold Rush...
I suppose it's telling that the blurbs on the book come from historians, not from cemetery aficionados.
This book is exhaustive when it comes to American war heroes who were recovered from forgotten graves and reburied with more attention. In fact, if the Revolutionary War fascinates you, you will appreciate the "Siting and Reciting of Patriotism" chapter.
I wish the chapter on "Problematic Graves" had been longer. I hadn't considered the tourist value of famous people's graves beyond Jim Morrison and Hollywood Forever, so I was fascinated by the process of moving gravesites to be more accessible, along with the struggles cities went to in order to hang on to their favored sons.
In fact, the book is thick with dead white men. I wish the author had cast a wider net. I was excited when the African Burial Ground in Manhattan was mentioned. Jimi Hendrix could have been, too, or Martin Luther King Jr. or Hattie McDaniel (who wasn't moved, in the end). The graves removed from Manzanar might have rated some attention, or the Chinese history of moving the bones back home during the Gold Rush...
I suppose it's telling that the blurbs on the book come from historians, not from cemetery aficionados.
July 24, 2010
I saw this book at the library and was intrigued by the title so I picked it up. It is a series of short stories about various reburials in the U.S. mostly, but some also from other places. The author chose to organize the events by the reasons for exumation and reburial. These driving forces include honor, reputation, sectionalism, or nationalism, tourism, wishes of the deceased, religion and problematic graves. I enjoyed it all. It includes stories of bodies as diverse as Revolutionary and other war heroes, U. S, presidents, Daniel Boone, Jesse James Sitting Bull and Admiral Peary, to name a few. Some of the stories are horrifying and some are very funny. It is amazing what people did in the process, especially in earlier centuries. The book seems to be well-researched and includes many pictures which help the reader visualize the graves,monuments and funeral processions.
July 14, 2010
Great fun read, lots of little facts.
Reburials as a political statement, rather than for family or caring.
Who gets to keep the old bones, create a statue or obelisk that becomes a tourist attraction/
Reburials as a political statement, rather than for family or caring.
Who gets to keep the old bones, create a statue or obelisk that becomes a tourist attraction/
Want to read
August 11, 2010Get from Public Library for CDA project.
November 3, 2014
This book was a fun read for me. It's full of trivial tales of re-burials of the famous, stolen bodies, boiled bones and other fun facts! Mad Anthony Wayne's story was intriquing.
April 7, 2011
Fascinating historical resource.
May 24, 2019
This book can be read simply as a series of curious and macabre stories about (mostly) American reburials. Or one can consider the reburials within the author's theoretical framework as exhibiting such themes as rehabilitation of reputation, pride of possession, and the dictates of commercial tourism.
Michael Kammen (1936-2013) writes well for an academic, and I enjoyed the work as leisure-time reading—although I did skip some of the inevitable speech making, formal processions, and other funereal necessities. Interestingly, while Kammen suggests that American reburials are in some ways similar to those in Europe, “the differences appear more pronounced” because the United States is “more nearly univocal in terms of basic democratic values.” (233) Perhaps Professor Kammen’s colleagues can excuse this endorsement of American exceptionalism because the notion is buried within such an unusual context.
Michael Kammen (1936-2013) writes well for an academic, and I enjoyed the work as leisure-time reading—although I did skip some of the inevitable speech making, formal processions, and other funereal necessities. Interestingly, while Kammen suggests that American reburials are in some ways similar to those in Europe, “the differences appear more pronounced” because the United States is “more nearly univocal in terms of basic democratic values.” (233) Perhaps Professor Kammen’s colleagues can excuse this endorsement of American exceptionalism because the notion is buried within such an unusual context.
January 30, 2022
Wow! I hated this book. I mean it was so disappointing. The title was interesting, the topic was interesting, and the book was such a let down. The author had these meandering paragraphs that were just not interesting.
Michael would bring up a topic that sounded fascinating, but then it would be just thrown away as an aside. I totally learned nothing - I mean I learned a lot but now that I'm writing this, I can barely remember anything. These fascinating facts were just couched in long paragraphs that caused my mind to meander.
Again, just such a letdown.
Michael would bring up a topic that sounded fascinating, but then it would be just thrown away as an aside. I totally learned nothing - I mean I learned a lot but now that I'm writing this, I can barely remember anything. These fascinating facts were just couched in long paragraphs that caused my mind to meander.
Again, just such a letdown.
July 13, 2020
Kind of a page-turner, believe it or not, and Kammen obviously had fun doing this project. It's mostly a gathering of vignettes, some quite short and others a bit more extended. Lots of descriptive examples, in other words. In the end, I'm not sure that Kammen has a compelling larger argument to offer, except maybe that reburials are more of a thing than you might have realized. But, at least for me, it was interesting to read about the details of, and the motives for, reburying.
March 30, 2024
If I could have given it 3.5 stars, I would have. It’s interesting and compelling - I don’t think the author ties the last chapter into the rest of the text well and the scope goes beyond what the title suggests. But it definitely makes you think.
March 22, 2018
First half of the book much more interesting.
January 7, 2019
Well researched information, unfortunately Kammen used a or of really big and archaic words. Also, the book jumped around a lot chronologically, often in an illogical manner.
January 27, 2015
Interesting...but far from noteworthy.
February 22, 2018
This was interesting- lots of short accounts of burials, reburials, exhumations, and problems with identifying graves and remains. I thought it was interesting, but nothing really amazing. Then the last paragraph of the book really got me:
"Given that long historical context and comparative framework, I believe we are now better suited to comprehend many of the apparent differences between Old and New World experiences with the politics of reburial. While similarities are not unexpected, the differences appear more pronounced. The explanation lies in the contrasts between two kinds of political cultures- one more nearly univocal in terms of basic democratic values, the other with partisans speaking past one another."
Is America becoming more European in our political culture?
"Given that long historical context and comparative framework, I believe we are now better suited to comprehend many of the apparent differences between Old and New World experiences with the politics of reburial. While similarities are not unexpected, the differences appear more pronounced. The explanation lies in the contrasts between two kinds of political cultures- one more nearly univocal in terms of basic democratic values, the other with partisans speaking past one another."
Is America becoming more European in our political culture?
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews