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A Is for Arsenic

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A Is for Arsenic Synopsis

Written by Chris Woodyard, the author of The Victorian Book of the Dead, A is for Arsenic is a guide to the the basics of Victorian mourning and death all illustrated by the incomparable 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" covers 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, (see below) along with an informative glossary, appendix, and detailed bibliography. Here are the topics: 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

Appendix: Mourning Etiquette

Glossary

Bibliography


Chris Woodyard, author of The Victorian Book of the Dead, answers your dead-serious questions including:


How long should you mourn for someone who left you money in their will?

Why did body snatchers strip a body before carrying it away?

What was a coffin torpedo?

Were mourning clothes poisonous?

What is inheritance powder?

Who killed off keening?

What is dead water?


An A to Z delight for lovers of the macabre!

About This Edition

ISBN: 9780988192546
Publication date:
Author: Chris Woodyard
Illustrator: Landis Blair
Publisher: Kestrel Publications (OH)
Format: Paperback
Pagination: 208 pages
Genres: History
Sociology: death and dying
Coping with / advice about death and bereavement
Manners: guides and advice

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