I absolutely loved this book of burial sites. I enjoyed reading about the different customs funerals and burials. The photography was beautiful. I found myself doing further research on the customs and locations of some of the cemeteries.

I enjoyed reading this book of photos from graveyards around the world. The descriptions that accompany the pictures explain some of the locations' history and note the famous people buried there, but I would have liked learning more about their cultural and historical relevance. While the book attempts to cover regions all over the world, it was surprisingly (or maybe unsurprisingly) Eurocentric, which was disappointing. This is an intriguing coffee table book but one that's less informative overall than I was hoping.

A bit morbid for a coffee table book – try not to leave this one on show when the vicar or a fragile, susceptible granny calls – this does what you'd expect, pictorially taking us right round the world surveying where we put our dead. Famous Paris cemeteries are here, sans Jim Morrison, we cover everything from the tallest Irish towers to the most sprawling of militaristic mausoleums, and go from Hollywood's grandest to the most humble, anonymous entry in what was a field of war. The standard of the visuals is supreme, the captions tell us just what we might care to know, and if I haven't put it across well enough yet, the scope – from Eleanor Rigby to Ecuadorian topiary – is exemplary.

Graveyards is a book of stunning pictures of unique final resting places from around the world. Being able to see a variety of burial practices and headstones was insightful and it was a delightful read. I wish slightly more information would have been provided in the blurbs about each photographed graveyard, but this definitely sparked my interest into taking a deeper dive on several of these graveyards and/or communities!

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own.

I now know that I love graveyards with color and nature. Asia and the Pacific really caught my interest, but any more natural resting place would do. I was expecting more photographs of ornate Graves, but reading the history of the entire graveyard as opposed to just one grave was fascinating.

I love fun facts and photography, although sometimes it can be difficult to find enough favourites to include in a review. I had the opposite problem here so, even though I’ve tried to restrain myself, I’ve included more than I usually would.

Because Back to the Future is never too far from my mind, I need to tell you that the Cave Hill Cemetery clock tower in Louisville, Kentucky has been struck by lightning a number of times.

At Boston’s Granary Burying Ground in 2009 “an abandoned entrance to an unmarked crypt was rediscovered when the ground gave way beneath a visitor, plunging her into a hidden stairwell.”

One of my favourite photos was of Kilmacduagh Monastery in Galway, Ireland.

A partly ruined ninth-century building at Mizdarkhan in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan is known as the Apocalypse Clock. It is believed that “when the final brick falls, it will herald the end of the world.”

I love graves that showcase the personality or interests of the person buried there, so absolutely adore the piano in London’s Highgate Cemetery.

Off the coast of Madagascar, pirates are buried at Île Sainte Marie. Naturally their gravestones are marked with skulls and crossbones.

“The Kankanaey people of Sagada suspend the coffins of their most distinguished elders from the cliffs. Traditionally, the elderly make their own coffins and paint their names on the side; the bodies are placed in a foetal position, mimicking their entry into life.”

There was a focus on cemeteries in Europe and the Americas. Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific combined had under 50 pages dedicated to them, whereas Europe and the Americas had 170. There were less photos that looked like a haunting had been interrupted than I had hoped but the abundance of memorable fun facts made up for it.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Amber Books for the opportunity to read this book.

Book Review: Graveyards by Alastair Horne

Rating: 4 Stars

As someone who has always found beauty in graveyards, I was excited to dive into Alastair Horne's Graveyards. This book is a beautifully photographed exploration of burial sites from around the world, showcasing not only their physical beauty but also the rich histories and cultural significances that surround these resting places.

In Graveyards, Horne takes us on a journey through time, revealing how different cultures commemorate their dead. From the somber memorials of George Custer’s fallen soldiers at Little Bighorn to the haunting echoes of the bubonic plague in Edinburgh’s Greyfriars Kirkyard, each site tells a story that resonates deeply with the universal experience of death. The book beautifully captures the diversity of burial traditions, whether it’s the hanging coffins of Sagada in the Philippines or the vibrantly painted tombstones of Romania’s Merry Cemetery, which offer a poetic glimpse into the lives of those interred there. The Cairo Necropolis, often referred to as the “City of the Dead,” adds an ancient layer to this exploration, showcasing Islamic-era tombs that have stood for centuries.

What I particularly loved about Graveyards is how Horne pairs stunning visuals with insightful commentary. The accompanying texts provide context, offering fascinating snippets of history that enrich the experience. As I flipped through the pages, I found myself captivated not just by the images, but by the stories behind them. It made me reflect on how different cultures approach mourning and celebration of their deceased loved ones—something that I find incredibly important and poignant.

Overall, Graveyards is a visually stunning and thought-provoking read for anyone who shares my passion for exploring these quiet yet beautiful places. It’s more than just a book about graveyards; it’s an invitation to ponder life, death, and how we remember those who came before us. I give it four stars for its beautiful photography and the depth of its exploration. If you appreciate history, culture, or just enjoy wandering through graveyards as I do, this book is definitely worth a read!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

This book is beautiful, depicting burial sites around the world and the customs associated with the dead. It was fascinating to see some ancient burial grounds. The most compelling was the tree graves of Tana Toraja.

I had never seen the fairytale style towers in Irish cemeteries before, I will be researching this tradition to find out more. It was also really interesting to see the little painted shed-like structures in the Russian Orthodox cemetery in Anchorage, Alaska, another tradition to research. They allow the structures to decompose back into the earth rather than maintain their appearance.

It is also interesting to see how the modern world approach death, the Neptune Memorial Reef in Florida combines the ashes of over 600 people with concrete to make artificial reefs in the ocean.

The architecture of the cemeteries travelled across the world, a lot of the cemeteries are classical in style, whether they are ancient or from the 1800s. The cemetery in Kolkata was similar to the European cemeteries.

I found this book completely fascinating. The photographs are so detailed. I think this would be a great coffee table book that will create great conversation.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amber Books for letting me read and review this ARC.

This is the book I would have loved as present when i was a goth. Melancholic and gorgeus pictures, informative text
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is not Alastair Horne’s first book about cemeteries. If you think about it, what these graveyards conceal is sad and unpleasant, but the beauty and serenity of these photographs brings a sense of peace. Including pictures from all over the world, some are famous, luxurious places, with incredible sculptures. Others are humble but still remarkable. Some are visited even by tourists and others are in inaccessible locations. Some are beautiful and others less so, including some truly creepy places that look like the setting for a horror story. These graveyards are from all cultures, from antiquity to very recently. The quality of the pictures is outstanding, finding beauty everywhere. The accompanying texts add context and provide fascinating nuggets of information, showcasing how different people have mourned and celebrated their dearly departed. Love it!
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Amber Books.

I really enjoyed reading Alastair Horne's Abandoned Scotland book when it came out, and jumped on this one as well.

It's quite good! Beautifully photographed, extensively researched, and covers a wide breadth of cemeteries. As ever, I was surprised at what was included--and what wasn't. I'd semi-expected Hawai'i's Punchbowl Cemetery or other similarly well-known locations to be included (and they weren't), but maybe that was just as well. There's only so much room to go around--literally and figuratively.

I did enjoy the inclusion of some familiar places I've visited--or want to visit; Savannah's Bonaventure Cemetery, DC's Arlington National Cemetery, and more. And of course, the many places I've not yet been came to life (no pun intended) on the page and made me want to add them to my travel wishlist.

I'm looking forward to seeing the book in person and look forward to its release in a couple weeks.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is a nice autumnal, lightly spooky coffee table book. The photographs of graveyards are nice. Despite introducing itself as graveyards from around the world, half of it covers Europe and another third is about the Americas. It hardly left any space at all for the rest of the world.

I find cemeteries and graveyards facinating. They are usally beautiful and sad, but you can learn so much about the town/city/country they are in. Graveyards by Alastair Horne is 200+ pages filled with stunning photos and facts about graveyards around the world, from Arlington National Cemetery to London’s “Magnificent Seven”. Merry Cemetery in Romania stands out with over 800 handcarved, and hand painted memorials. Absolutly stunning.

Thank you to my friends at Amber Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy!

Stunning photography. I loved flipping though this ARC. As a "taphophile" I immediately requested this book when I saw it in Netgalley. It was a look into histories and cultures around the world. The Gothic beauty of graveyards, burial places and all final resting grounds is an immense human experience and full of stories. This book was a great introduction into some famous sights and showcased some less known burial areas as well.

This review is based on a digital review copy kindly provided by #NetGalley.

Long Story Short: A beginner's guide to cemetery art and architecture

Graveyards by Alastair Horne’s accessible and varied display of cemetery pictures is an interesting introduction to funeral art and traditions around the globe.
However, it has some weak spots, mostly related to the photographs themselves. Each of them is accompanied by a small caption providing some extra information, but some shots were taken from odd perspectives, while their quality is lacking. This could be explained by the differences between the digital copy (which I read) and the physical copy.
Lastly, when comparing the page ratio between each region-dedicated chapter, it is hard not to notice the gap between the four represented zones. While Europe and the Americas stand at 116 and 54 pages, respectively, Africa and the Middle East (grouped into one single 21-page chapter) and Asia and the Pacific (with a total of 26 pages) do not even reach the 50-page mark together. I cannot help but feel that I would have enjoyed a little more representation of these regions, even if it meant 100 more pages or perhaps the book’s division into 2 volumes.

A beautiful collection of photographs from cemeteries throughout the world. I enjoyed the small snippets of facts and historical information that accompanied the photos and appreciated them being organised by location.

One star deducted as I would have liked a little bit more information about the cemeteries. However I would recommend as an easily accessible book to revisit.

Thanks to Amber Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

I loved this book. Such gorgeous, clear photographs from around the world. Even though the text is pretty short, it's full of interesting history and culture. I think the saddest ones were the ones where there were a lot of soldiers who never made it back home and people who had to move away from their families because of disease epidemics and never made it home.
This is a great coffee table book and anyone who enjoys history and travel will love it too. I learned where several people I'm a big fan of are buried. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of this book.

Some places had beautiful photographs whereas others had photographs that made it look like any random cemetery.

I wish the sites were extensively discussed especially since there wasn't an easy way to tell the difference between one cemetery and another.

A wonderful look at different graveyards from all continents! It was so interesting to see the similarities and differences! Great pictures and some lovely, interesting factoids. I would have liked to see a little more of the New Orleans cemeteries and I would have liked to see Hollywood Cemetery in Richmone, Virginia

I love strolling through cemeteries, the quiet, the beauty of the stones and the bits of history sprinkled throughout are hard to resist. Horner’s book takes readers through the cemeteries of the world, from the creepy to the sublime