Death: A prelude -- Dead: What happens to our bodies when we die? -- Very Dead: How do we remember our dead? -- Living: Notes on dying

"Death comes for us all. But how do we meet it? What do we do with the bodies of our dead, and how do we grieve for or celebrate our loved ones after they die? In the pages of this modern-day memento mori, you will discover some of the world's most fascinating death rituals, rendered in colorful and compelling detail. From mummification in ancient Egypt and post-mortem photography in Victorian England to Ghana's fantasy coffins and the rise of the lucrative embalming industry in the United States, the vibrant visual profiles in this book explore how humans throughout time have buried, preserved, mourned, honored, and remembered our dead. Author-illustrator YY Liak tackles this thorny theme with a deep compassion for the universal experiences of loss and grief, and an intrepid interest in the unique mortuary practices that have arisen across continents, cultures, and millennia. Whether you're casually curious about the macabre, or intimately experienced with death and its attendant customs, experiencing the sheer diversity of rituals and traditions can help you develop and deepen your own. After all, death rituals aren't actually for the dead; they're for the living"--