
Gone Home
Southern Folk Gravestone Art
NewSouth Books (Publisher)
Published on 1. August 2004
Book
Paperback/Softback
132 pages
978-1-58838-116-3 (ISBN)
Description
Four decades ago, folklorists Jack and Olivia Solomon began documenting Southern cemeteries, recording the names, lives, and epitaphs of thousands of the deceased. The volume they now share with us is not a Book of the Dead, but a Book of Life. The Solomons reveal here their love and respect for the "final resting places" of this world. In these pages are recorded the sorrow for a lost child, the anger over the murder of a brother, the strengths of an admired civic leader, the life of a beloved preacher, the character of a stalwart soldier, as well as the grief for a mother, a father, a son, a daughter, a wife, a husband. Many of these epitaphs console and give promise of a "better home over yonder." Others remind one of the shortness of life and the surety of death. As in life, there is wit-the humor of a wife who reminds her spouse, "I told you I was sick!"-and profundity-the laconic remark, "She hath done what she could." The book also discusses historical precedents for Alabama epitaphs, different types of epitaphs, gravestone writings as folk literature, gravestones as architecture/sculpture, and the lettering of epitaphs.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Athens
United States
Publishing group
University of Georgia Press
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 254 mm
Width: 178 mm
Thickness: 9 mm
Weight
389 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-58838-116-3 (9781588381163)
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
Persons
Jack Solomon (Author)
JACK SOLOMON is Folklorist-in-Residence at Central Alabama Community College and a retired college teacher. He is coauthor, with Olivia Solomon, of such books as Cracklin Bread and Asfidity, Zackary Zan, Sweet Bunch of Daisies, and Honey in the Rock.
Olivia Solomon (Author)
OLIVIA SOLOMON is a folklorist and creative writer. She is coauthor, with Jack Solomon, of such books as Cracklin Bread and Asfidity, Zackary Zan, Sweet Bunch of Daisies, and Honey in the Rock.
JACK SOLOMON is Folklorist-in-Residence at Central Alabama Community College and a retired college teacher. He is coauthor, with Olivia Solomon, of such books as Cracklin Bread and Asfidity, Zackary Zan, Sweet Bunch of Daisies, and Honey in the Rock.
Olivia Solomon (Author)
OLIVIA SOLOMON is a folklorist and creative writer. She is coauthor, with Jack Solomon, of such books as Cracklin Bread and Asfidity, Zackary Zan, Sweet Bunch of Daisies, and Honey in the Rock.