These Silent Mansions

I absolutely loved this. It's exactly the kind of book I like, thoughtful, interesting, full of odd tales and snippets of this and that. I am slightly obsessed by grave yards anyway, and this held my interest throughout. Beautifully written and full of life and humanity rather than melancholy and death. I loved it so much I finished it and ordered her previous book.

Like Jean Sprackland, I have also long been fascinated by graveyards. Particularly those crumbling, half forgotten ones found hidden away in the heart of towns and cities.
A sanctuary of peace, a place for reflection, a meeting place for the living and the dead and a safe haven for nature.

The first graveyard I can remember, forming part of my earliest chldhood memories, is indeed the nearest to where the author now lives. It is not surprising, that Edgar Allen Poe spent some of his formative years nearby.

Here, poet and writer Sprackland looks back on her life and the places she has stayed, revisiting the nearby graveyards.

Chance discoveries and fascinating stories are retold. Tales involving smugglers, drownings, explosions, ancient coins and secret burials are recounted.

Alongside this she examines the various forms of nature that can be found here. The more neglectful the upkeep, the more it flourishes.

This lyrically written work meditates on the relationship between the living and the dead, the past and the present.

It was one of those books, that once I picked up I could not put down and is perhaps perfect for finding a graveyard bench and losing oneself in its pages on a warm sunny day.

This was a beautifully written and fascinating insight into the world of the graveyards. From the broken tombstones, to the wildlife inhabiting the grounds late at night, I found myself totally absorbed in the journey of the author as she revisits graveyards near to where she has lived and the memories it brought back for her, alongside the history she uncovers about 'residents' and the stories and times they lived through.

I've always been fascinated by graveyards and find myself drawn to them wherever I go, and the same goes for Jean Sprackland so as she looks back over her life she decides to go on a little adventure to revisit old houses she has lived in. It gives a lovely insight into her life and as she has a wonderful way with words, it was just a pleasure to read! I found comfort in her prose, as I find comfort and peace in graveyards.

There's plenty about the wildlife and nature that is often found at these sites,the changes to the churches and the areas they are in but what was most fascinating was the names that caught her eye on some tombstones, and as she delved further into their history it was their stories coming to life that were so illuminating and made them 'real'! They weren't just names to be forgotten and covered over by moss and lychen.

She also looks at how different generations dealt with death, along with the perceptions and way funerals are held, with the prominence of cremations and now the surge in natural funerals being more eco-friendly. I learnt so much throughout this book as she has such an accessible manner and each chapter was well crafted and a delight to read.