This book is a collection of historical essays on the topic of death in America. The book is organized into 3 main sections, the colonial period, the Nineteenth Century, and the Twentieth Century, followed by an epilogue. In each section, there is a selection of four or five short scholarly essays covering differing aspects of death during the time period. Some of the essays were written by authors contemporary with the period under study, and others by modern historians writing about death in that time period. Some of the essays are philosophical, trying to convey people's beliefs and fears about death at the time. Others describe where and how deaths took place, and who was likely to be present at the deathbed. Some of the essays are about gravestone and cemetery fashions of the time. Sources for the strictly scholarly articles are generally listed at the ends of the individual articles. At the back of the book is a general index covering all the articles.Because the articles are so varied in style and purpose, it is unlikely that the average reader will find all of them equally engaging. A few make some interesting points, such as how common the experience was of witnessing another's death in Nineteenth Century America, or how the modern concept of the park cemetery developed. Others may be of interest to specialists who are looking for specific information, but perhaps not to general readers. Overall, the book provides some interesting perspectives on some facets of death in America, but it does not provide a cohesive big-picture depiction of the topic.