Book Review: Stories in Stone New York: A Field Guide to New York City Area Cemeteries & Their Residents

17 Thursday Jan 2013

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Douglas Keister, Gibbs-Smith Publishing, Stories In Stone New York, Stories In Stone New York by Douglas Keister

Stories in Stone New York: A Field Guide to New York City Area Cemeteries & Their Residents by Douglas Keister

Published by Gibbs-Smith; First Ed; October 1st 2011; ISBN 978-1-4236-2102-7; pages: 256; Price: $24.99

Last April, while browsing around the various Amazon.com wishlists I have. One of the many books I had saved in my grave hunting/cemetery book wish list was Stories in Stone New York: A Field Guide to New York Area Cemeteries & Their Residents by Douglas Keister. If you’re into cemeteries, like I am. You’re probably aware of the fact that Douglas Keister, is a highly respected, cemetery photographer, and the author of a handful of handy pocket-size books related to cemeteries around the country. So with the brief author intro outta the way. Today’s review is on Keister’s latest installment in his cemetery collection of books.

In Stories in Stone New York, Keister offers cemetery aficionados, a fresh approach to the typical cemetery tome you’d normally find in the regional or local interest section of your nearby bookstore. This latest installment doesn’t hold back any punches. Coupled with beautiful graveside photographs, not to mention GPS coördinates, which will guide you along the way. As you visualize some of the most beautiful cemetery architecture, & artwork you’d find anywhere in the region. All the while strolling along the beautifully landscaped acres, admiring the gravesites of famous, and sometimes not so famous, movers and shakers of New York’s bygone eras.

In the book Keister pounds the pavement when it comes to the cemeteries highlighted in this handy pocket-size guide-book. The cemeteries, which you will no doubt be mesmerized by with the sights when you see them. Include but is not limited to: The Big Four (Green-Wood, Woodlawn, Kensico, & Sleepy Hollow). Historic Manhattan resting places, such as The Holy Trinity’s, St. Marks Church in-the-Bowery, & Ulysses S. Grant’s Presidential Tomb. Rounding off the cemeteries your also going to find Calvary, Cypress Hills, Ferncliff, Gate of Heaven, Moravian cemetery, and the old and new versions of St. Raymond’s, nicely represented as well.

The theme of Stories In Stone New York, is pretty much on par with Keisters other cemetery travel books. Especially when it comes to the sections on symbolism/iconography, and not to mention architecture. One of the things I enjoyed about this book, aside from the potpourri collection of famous personalities who have concise biographies, is the Stories In Stone section. This particular section includes a few heartwarming stories, which I’m sure you will enjoy. As I wrap things up let me just say this book will most definitely make a nice addition to your cemetery or grave hunting library. Even if you’ve never been to New York, like me or plan to visit the region in the future, I think you’d enjoy this book.

Before I forget if your interested in checking out the other titles in Douglas Keisters cemetery book collection. Look no further than these other titles which are published by Gibbs-Smith that include: Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography, Forever Dixie: A Field Guide to Southern Cemeteries & Their Residents, & lastly Forever L.A: A Field Guide To Los Angeles Area Cemeteries & Their Residents.

Book Review: Forever Dixie: A Field Guide to Southern Cemeteries & Their Residents

08 Saturday Sep 2012

Posted by Josh Perry in Book Spotlight

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Douglas Keister, Forever Dixie by Douglas Keister, Forever L.A. A Field Guide To Los Angeles Area Cemeteries & Their Residents, Gibbs-Smith Publishing, Going Out In Style: The Architecture of Eternity, Stories In Stone New York: A Field Guide To New York City Area Cemeteries & Their Residents, Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography

Forever Dixie: A Field Guide to Southern Cemeteries & Their Residents by Douglas Keister

Published by Gibbs-Smith; First Ed; October 13th 2008; ISBN 978-1-4236-0314-6; pages: 256; Price: $19.99

Cover for the book “Forever Dixie”

As a grave hunter, and avid bookworm, I pride my self in being kept in the loop on grave hunting, and cemetery related books in print, and in the process of being published. With that being said today’s review is on the handy pocket-size book “Forever Dixie: A Field Guide to Southern Cemeteries & Their Residents” by Douglas Keister.

“Forever Dixie: A Field Guide to Southern Cemeteries & Their Residents” chronicles thirteen of the most well-known cemeteries, south of the Mason-Dixon Line. In the book Keister masterfully covers some of the illustrious residents who call the thirteen cemeteries home with concise biographical narratives. One of the things I really enjoyed about the book, (and others) that Keister wrote, were the beautiful graveside photos.

Without going into too much detail some of the thirteen cemeteries you will find within the pages of this book include but is not limited to: Metairie Cemetery, New Orléans, Louisiana; Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia; Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis, Tennessee; Oakwood Cemetery, Raleigh, North Carolina; and a host of others. There are over forty narrative biographies chronicling the lives of many of the south’s greatest sons and daughters. Not to mention GPS coördinates listed throughout the book will guide you to the graves of such southern luminaries as Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., Colonel Sanders, Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette, and many others. One of the highlights I find interesting about this book, are the biographical narratives of common folk residents who called the south home.

If you’re familiar with Douglas Keister’s collection of cemetery books, you will more than likely be aware that these books feature sections with detailed descriptions on Funerary Architecture, Symbolism, & Secret Societies and Clubs. These sections help readers who are unfamiliar with the different forms of architecture, symbolism, and secret societies, found in cemeteries to better identify them. I think this is a nice feature, especially for those who don’t have Keister’s flagship book which started it all “Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography” which is kinda like the three sections I mentioned above pumped up on steroids.

If you’re looking for the perfect book that covers thirteen historic cemeteries, found in the Land of Dixie. This book is a must have. The combination of beautiful graveside photos, the biographical narratives, and just the info to be learned in this book is worth the price in gold. I really enjoyed this book.

Besides the above mentioned books that Douglas Keister wrote. He’s also the author of “Forever L.A.: A Field Guide To Los Angeles Area Cemeteries & Their Residents” “Stories In Stone New York: A Field Guide To New York City Area Cemeteries & Their Residents” and “Going Out In Style: The Architecture of Eternity“