No Ordinary Deaths
A People's History of Mortality
Published on 1. May 2025
Book
Hardback
368 pages
978-1-80081-587-2 (ISBN)
Description
History is dominated by A-list deaths: queens beheaded; archdukes assassinated. But what about everyone else? How did ordinary people depart this life and grieve for loved ones - and which of the old ways might help us prepare for the end?
Our ancestors, living closer to death than we do, had a more intimate and integrated relationship with death as a familiar presence in daily life. From the death-watchers of the Middle Ages to the pomp of Victorian funeral wear, by way of plague pits, grave-robberies and wakes, historian and bereavement counsellor Molly Conisbee explores how cycles of dying, death and disposal have shaped - and been shaped by - society. She examines, through the prism of past deaths, their interweaving with our beliefs and politics, our most fervent hopes and deepest fears and, ultimately, what it means to 'die well'.
A groundbreaking new work of social history, No Ordinary Deaths paints a rich picture of the lives of our forebears, skilfully bringing the lost art of death to life today.
Our ancestors, living closer to death than we do, had a more intimate and integrated relationship with death as a familiar presence in daily life. From the death-watchers of the Middle Ages to the pomp of Victorian funeral wear, by way of plague pits, grave-robberies and wakes, historian and bereavement counsellor Molly Conisbee explores how cycles of dying, death and disposal have shaped - and been shaped by - society. She examines, through the prism of past deaths, their interweaving with our beliefs and politics, our most fervent hopes and deepest fears and, ultimately, what it means to 'die well'.
A groundbreaking new work of social history, No Ordinary Deaths paints a rich picture of the lives of our forebears, skilfully bringing the lost art of death to life today.
Reviews / Votes
A surprisingly lively history of funerary rituals and mourning... These engaging essays offer valuable insights into the lives and deaths of ordinary men and women * Sunday Times * Fascinating ... there surely won't be a better study of the subject than Conisbee's * Literary Review * Richly researched ... an intimate chronology -- Oliver Basciano * TLS * Conisbee shares her vast knowledge of death and grieving through this authentic piece of non-fiction, putting ordinary people at the front * Yorkshire Post * Insightful and thoughtful ... a valuable addition to your bookshelf * Who Do You Think You Are * A beautifully written and thought provoking journey through the world of death. It addresses our human compulsion to mark the end of life and how that has changed over time. It reminds us that often we are where we are, because of what others have chosen to do before us. Life affirming -- Professor Sue Black, author * All That Remains: A Life in Death * An engaging and thoughtful survey of death in British culture * History Extra * A labour of love, blending personal stories with broader reflections on mortality.... She is committed to telling the stories of those often overlooked by history. The book's eclectic flow reflects new research and folklore and is overall an engaging and thoughtful survey of death in British culture * BBC History, Best summer reads * An excellent survey ... impressive * Scottish Legal News * No Ordinary Deaths is written with care, passion and clarity that fascinates and leaves the reader, perhaps surprisingly, with life-affirming awe. An excellent new addition to the social history bookshelves * buzz magazine * Fascinating * BBC History Magazine * Fascinating...a compelling work of social history, exploring how we died - and how we lived -- Judith Flanders, author * Rites of Passage: Death and Mourning in Victorian Britain * By introducing us to the hidden histories of those who perished in obscurity, Conisbee provides fascinating glimpses of attitudes to death through the ages -- Catharine Arnold, author * Necropolis: London and Its Dead * A rich and moving history of our changing relationship to one of life's few certainties: death. Molly Conisbee is a sensitive and empathic guide as she encourages us to look to the past to deepen our understanding of loss and grief. A captivating read -- Chris Pearson, author * Collared * A fascinating and moving account of the ways, over the last 500 years, people have prepared for death, and grieved and mourned for those who have already made that final journey -- Edward Parnell, author * Ghostland *More details
Edition
Main
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Profile Books Ltd
Product notice
Trade binding
Dimensions
Height: 238 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 35 mm
Weight
572 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-80081-587-2 (9781800815872)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
04/2026
Wellcome Collection
€15.50
Available immediately
E-Book
05/2025
Wellcome Collection
€13.49
Available for download
Person
Molly Conisbee is a social historian and visiting research fellow at the Centre for Death and Society at the University of Bath. She has a PhD from the University of Bristol and has spent the last ten years researching the social history of death and mourning. Conisbee is also a bereavement counsellor, has curated walks on the history of death around the country and has written for the Guardian and Ecologist.