Over My Dead Body: Unearthing the Hidden History of America's Cemeteries - Perfect for History Buffs, Genealogy Researchers & Halloween Enthusiasts

Attention: Would Author Greg Melville please pick up the red courtesy phone at your earliest convenience? Author Greg Melville. Red courtesy phone please.(picks up phone)Hello Mr. Melville. I know you don’t know me, but I need to talk to you about your book. You know the one. Non-fiction, catchy title and cover.This is one of the best books I’ve ever read. And I’m not just saying that because you took my call. I’m not a non-fiction kind of gal. I gravitate towards fiction. I’ve tried non-fiction in the past, but generally it doesn’t hold my attention. Your book, however, held my attention from the beginning to the end. Yes, your book taught me about the history of cemeteries, but at the same time you taught me history and made it fun to learn. I can say that, right? As much as some of that history sucks, it’s still important that it is taught.My Mom used to take us to cemeteries not only for Memorial Day, but during vacations. She had researched where we were going and had read mountains of newspaper obituaries via microfiche. She researched where the graves of loved ones long gone were located and then meticulously mapped out the interstates and country roads to make it to that rural cemetery. She only went to find the stone and take a picture and then it was back to the car. My Dad, brother and my teenage self just wanted to get to the next destination where all the fun was going to happen. Because it definitely wasn’t in that cemetery.I find myself looking back on those times spent with her and maybe this is where my interest in cemeteries actually started. Maybe it’s those vacation memories, my age or because my Mom now occupies a space in a cemetery that I find myself lingering there. Working my way back to the oldest part of the graveyard. Walking past the headstones, reading names, dates, and epitaphs, calculating their age at the time of death and wondering WHO that person was. What did they love, who did they love, what made them….THEM. I know my Mom would have loved your book and I would have loved reading it with her. And now I’m crying, so I’ll move on.My husband would tell you that I didn’t just read passages out loud to him, but whole sections. Pages. My friends would tell you I sent them screenshots and quotes. They’re all probably glad I’m done with this book. Jokes on them though because I made annotations (101 to be exact) and will probably pull the book out at holidays, parties and definitely at book club.It’s hard to pinpoint what my favorite chapter would be. I marked at least one thing in every chapter. I’ll just call attention to the chapters/content that made me stop and reread twice.- I found all of your Native American and Colonial research fascinating. Middle School/High School doesn’t teach this history. Barely even scratches the surface.- I think I read Chapter 4 three times.- Chapter 7. I honestly had no idea. Thank you for writing about these facts.- Chapter 10. No one talks about the dead. Numbers, yes, but what did we do with the dead. I want to go back to Gettysburg and just sit and think.- I was an older teenager when I had the opportunity to go to Arlington. Now, after reading your book, I want to go back.- The building of the railroad was not what I thought it was.- The commercialization of death. I don’t know you, so I won’t curse on the phone with you.- Chapter 17 has made me wonder if my final wishes are actually my final wishes.- I also want to add that I listened to the audiobook and read the physical copy. Will Tulin is a fantastic narrator.From the bottom of my heart, thank you for writing this book. I won’t forget it. I will be recommending this book for years to come.And thank you for taking my call.