The Mourner's Dance: What We Do When People Die
Select Format
Select Condition 
Book Overview
When her daughter's fianc? died suddenly, Katherine Ashenburg was surprised to see how her daughter intuitively re-created the traditional rituals of mourning, even those of which she was ignorant. Intrigued, Ashenburg began to explore the rich and endlessly inventive choreographies different cultures and times have devised to mark a universal and deeply felt plight. Contemporary North American culture favors a mourning that is private and virtually invisible. But, as Ashenburg reveals, the grieving customs of the past were so integrated into daily life that ultimately they gave rise to public parks and ready-to-wear clothing. Our keepsakes, prescribed bereavement garb, resting places, mourning etiquette; and ways of commiserating from wakes to Internet support groups remain clues to our most elemental beliefs, and our most effective means of restoring selves, and communities, unraveled by loss.
Format:Hardcover
Language:English
ISBN:0865476780
ISBN13:9780865476783
Release Date:September 2003
Publisher:North Point Press
Length:326 Pages
Weight:1.15 lbs.
Dimensions:1.1" x 5.8" x 8.5"
Customer Reviews
3 ratings
Magnificent Book
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 15 years ago
Katherine Ashenburg informs the reader on how people have dealt with death from centuries ago, and how they deal today. With tons of examples of research from various cultures, Ashenburg beautifully describes the traditions,norms, rituals, and expectations of one's culture and gender. She starts off with describing the tragic death of her daughter's fiance, and intertwines her daugher's grieving process with rich, compelling information in each chapter. This book will not make one sad, but will let them gain wisdom, and perhaps rethink the wakes and funerals they have attended. I have a new-found understanding on why some mourners grieved in ways that have once seemed abnormal,or indifferent. Ashenburg ends the book on a positive note, showing that mourners will survive.
Good Grief--Better Book
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 21 years ago
As a baby boomer, and not particularly religious, I have moved into a period of my life where my attendance at funerals is now more common than at weddings. Having lost my mother, I bought this book to try and work my way through the sense of loss I felt. In doing so, I was richly rewarded. Ashenburg's study of grieving, is both intensely personal and richly cultural. She shifts between these two worlds easily. She begins with the simple narrative of her daughter's tragic loss (her fiance was killed in a car accident) and then takes flight: the reader is witness to various grieving practices around the world and down through history. I felt better and better informed after reading it. I congratulate the author.
A <br> Delightful and insightful--a classic in its field
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 22 years ago
While the topic might seem difficult to dwell on, I was enchanted by this book and was sorry when I finally finished it. It is written in a spare and elegant style, beautifully appointed at every turn. The writer effortlessly manages to do the near impossible: condense mountains of research into a highly emotional and entertaining read. Mourning is often a private matter but here we are taken on an intelligent tour of its history and culture. It left this modern reader with a fresh understanding of a very common practice. I loved this book.
Copyright © 2025 Thriftbooks.com
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information | Cookie Policy | Cookie Preferences | Accessibility Statement
ThriftBooks ® and the ThriftBooks ® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
ThriftBooks ® and the ThriftBooks ® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
