Synopses & Reviews
"Reading for this anthology," writes D.J. Enright, "I was moved to the thought that on no theme have writers shown themselves more lively." A survivor of Belsen voiced the same sentiment when, reflecting on the concentration camps, he wrote, "When in death we are in the midst of life." By turns poignant, tragic, comic, and inspiring, this anthology of thoughts about death ranges from ancient times to the present day--including almost 900 selections by poets, novelists, philosophers, scientists, and common people. Arranged under headings such as "Love," "War," "Last Words," and "Children," these selections show the varied, sometimes surprising, reactions of the dying and the bereaved to the final human act.
About the Author
About the Editor:
D.J. Enright, a well-known poet and critic, has taught at universities in Egypt, England, Japan, Germany, Thailand, and Singapore. His books include Shakespeare and the Students, The Oxford Book of Contemporary Verse 1945-1980, and Collected Poems.
Table of Contents
Editor's Note
Introduction
Definitions
Views and Attitudes
The Hour of Death
Suicide
Mourning
Graveyards and Funerals
Resurrections and Immortalities
Hereafters
Revenants
War, Plague and Persecution
Love and Death
Children
Animals
Epitaphs, Requiems and Last Words
Acknowledgements
Indexes