Death's Summer Coat

by Brandy Schillace

We are living in a unique point in human history. People are living longer than ever, yet the longer we live, the more taboo and alien our mortality becomes. Yet we, and our loved ones, still remain mortal. People today still struggle with this fact, as we have done throughout our entire history. What led us to this point—what drove us to sanitize death and make it foreign and unfamiliar? In Death's Summer Coat Brandy Schillace explores our past to examine what it might mean for our future. From Victorian Britain to contemporary Cambodia, forgotten customs and modern-day rituals, we learn about the incredibly diverse—and sometimes just incredible—ways in which humans have dealt with mortality in different times and places. Today, as we begin to talk about mortality, there are difficult questions to face. What does it mean to have a "good death?" What purpose should a funeral serve? As Schillace shows, talking about death, and the rituals associated with it, can help provide answers. It also brings us closer together—conversation and community are just as important for living as for dying. Some of the stories are strikingly unfamiliar; others are far more familiar than you might suppose. But all reveal much about the present—and about ourselves.

Genres: Nonfiction, Death, History, Medical, Psychology, Science, Philosophy

336 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2015

About the author

Dr. BRANDY SCHILLACE (skil-AH-chay) is an autistic, nonbinary author, historian, mystery writer and Editor (who grew up in an underground house next to a cemetery with a pet raccoon). Her mystery novel, THE FRAMED WOMEN OF ARDEMORE HOUSE, features an autistic protagonist: Jo Jones. Plus: An abandoned English manor, a peculiar missing portrait, and one dead gardener. “A must read for any mystery lover.” – says DEANNA RAYBOURN, New York Times bestselling author of KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE. (This will be book one in the NETHERLEIGH mystery series.)

***QUICK NOTE! I love talking with readers - for Book Clubs and 1:1s, find me now on Skolay: skolay.com/writers/brandy-schillace***

Brandy’s recent nonfiction, MR. HUMBLE AND DR. BUTCHER–described by the New York Times as a “macabre delight”–explores Cold War medicine, bioethics, and transplant science. Brandy’s next nonfiction book, THE INTERMEDIARIES, will tell the forgotten, daring history of the interwar Institute of Sexology in Berlin: trans activists, the first gender affirming surgeries, and the fight for LGBTQ rights in the shadow of the Nazi Third Reich. Rebels against empires, it’s a heart-stopping story of courage in the face of long odds.

And because she writes in two worlds, both of them weird, Brandy hosts a regular YouTube show called Peculiar Book Club. It features livestream chats with bestselling authors of unusual nonfiction, from Lindsey Fitzharris and Mary Roach to Carl Zimmer and Deborah Blum. She has appeared on Travel Channel’s Mysteries at the Museum, NPR’s Here and Now, and with Dan Aykroyd on THE UNBELIEVABLE (History Channel). Bylines at WIRED, Scientific American, Globe and Mail, WSJ Books, and Medium. She works as Editor in Chief for BMJ’s Medical Humanities, a journal for social justice and health equity.

Dr. Schillace is represented by Jessica Papin at Dystel and Goderich Literary Management.

http://brandyschillace.com/
@bschillace

Reviews

[TJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The topic is fascinating, but the execution lacking. The author has the attention span of a gnat, introducing interesting topics and then moving on after a sentence or two. I'd be interested to read a more complete, more academic treatment of the same material.

[Amy Layton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death's Summer Coat offers an intriguing perspective on how death and dying has changed over the course of time.  How has the concept of a "good death" changed, and how did the black plague change our perspectives of how we treat the dead and dying?  Why did we pose with our did for daguerreotypes?  And how has mourning fashion changed depending on globalization?  Schillace answers all of these questions and more, making for a very satisfying read.  

Content includes many pictures, sources, and suggestions for further reading, showing that Shillace has certainly done her research, and that though a taboo subject, death is talked about quite a lot.  

I enjoyed her quick wit and the ways in which she explained pieces of history and cultures unlike ours.  After all, how can we justify acts such as sati, or the ways in which some cultures cannibalize their dead?  I loved that she went above and beyond, discussing plagues, genocides, war, and onward and how they've changed our own cultures.  

This is a great overview at all the complexities mortality has brought upon us and the philosophy behind so many of our actions.  We will all die one day, but before you do, read this book.

Review cross-listed here!

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a society, we spend too little time talking about, preparing for, and accepting death. Schillace's Death's Summer Coat is an attempt to remedy this by highlighting contemporary efforts, like death cafes and 'death positive' Death Salons, but also through breezy histories of how non-North America/European societies address death and dying, like Tibetan sky burials and natitas in Bolivia - household skulls of non-family members that are kept in people's homes. There are huge cross-country differences in just how much exposure to death/dying occur in daily life that closely relate to a society's drive for immortality. Our massive investment in medicine is to deprive death from taking us early, and for the ultra-rich an insane belief that death can be permanently cheated.

This book was eye-opening in describing antiquated practices that bear little resemblance to modernity. Taking photos of a dead relative alongside living family members, adorning jewelry with cut hair from the deceased, and paying last respects in the home, not a hospital or a funeral parlor.

[Byron Edgington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here we have an excellent book that anyone who is going to die should read. The author has taken us across several ages and rituals of death, illuminating its social relevance in times past, arriving at our current, so called modern view of it. As Schillace says, we in the west need to once again 'put on death's summer coat,' in other words, we must reacquaint ourselves with the concept of death in its harmless, even its benign and useful aspects in order to return to a better and more realistic outlook toward our final disposition. A bit like 'Sex at Dawn,' this book ranges over many cultural and geographic rituals surrounding death, including several wonderful depictions from history, with the conclusion that, due to our western obsession with modern medicine's curative powers, and societies frantic yearning for immortality, we've seen only the winter trappings of death, not the gentler, comforting clothes that death wears, since it is indeed an inevitable and unavoidable part of living. According to this author those rituals, practices, depictions, and beliefs we've discarded have left us naked and exposed to death's harsh and negative aspects, without the comforting wraps that our forebears knew would ease our passage. Death's Summer Coat: What the History of Death and Dying Teaches Us About Life and Living

[Joanne Mcleod · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe it is through history we can learn about and more clearly see our present, and make plans for our future. I found this book helped do that with the topic of death and dying.

I found Brandy’s concluding sentence very well summarized why it is important as an individual and a community to talk and share more about death and dying before the ‘winter’ of life descends upon us:

“We cannot wait until death happens to talk about death. It’s a bit like waiting until winter to gather in the grain. Why not meet now, talk now, while the sun is still warm on your back? That’s the value of the death’s summer coat.”

[Kay Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this very reflective book covering history of attitudes to and rituals about death and how humans handle our reactions. Grief and loss and memorials. When are we expected to "move on" and stop grieving? What is the role of ritual in enabling closure? What does it do to people when they don't have time or space or ritual or even the bodies of those who have died? How do different cultures in the past and now respond to these questions?

Not everyone's cup of tea but fascinating to me. Recommended as a follow up to books on coping with aging or loss, including award winning NZ novel by Damien Wilkins "Delirious"

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read. I found this book after reading Schillace’s “Mr. Humble and Dr. Butcher.” I liked MHDB so much, her writing is professional yet accessible, that I wanted to find another book by her. I can definitely tell this is an earlier work: the organization and transitions used are on the clunky side, but the material is interesting enough, I didn’t mind. She has one more book about the history of steam punk, but my library doesn’t have it. Might have to do some digging.

[Mary A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting.
Other culture’s rituals around death seem unfathomable, until you really look into them. (Eating the dead, sky burials, death photography) But they are all a way to remain close to the loved one, remember them and assuage one’s grief.
I found this a timely reminder of the importance of talking and thinking about death long before we die.
Well written and easy to read.

[Brytni · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book opens up the conversation as to why talking about death is such a taboo in the United States. It brought up some valid points and gives great perspectives and information as to why we approach death the way we do.

[David Becker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather haphazard collection of funereal facts from around the world, coverage of the death with dignity movement and more. If there was an overarching theme or argument, I couldn’t discern it.

[Ending Well · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I read this I am reminded at how wonderful a job it does introducing the important threads how “how we got here” in terms of our relationship to mortality, death, and mourning.

[E.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging read

[Clivemichael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling exploration.

[Les · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent history of how people and societies have processed death, primarily from the middle ages to modern times.

[Phoebe · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the very first review I read of this book, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I drove to several local bookstores, assuming that since the author works here in Cleveland, it would be easy to find as soon as it was released. But no. I ended up having to order it online.
Maybe it seemed disappointing because I had built it up so much in my mind? I'm not sure, but I am sure that it was not what I expected. Right on the cover are the words "What th History of Death and Dying Teaches Us about Life and Living" and yet that whole "teaches us about life and living" part seemed, to me, markedly absent. I don't really feel like I learned a thing about life or living from this book. I learned some interesting stuff about death and dying, for sure. But overall... Disappointed.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this book. It really makes you reflect on your beliefs and how we as a culture got to where we are today when it concerns death. It managed to not be uncomfortable or disrespectful. It was a great conversation starter. Anyone who knows someone who has died or know old people or is willing to come to terms with the fact that someday you too will die can find a friend in this book.

[MKF · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is better for people intrested in death and haven't read anything else about the subject. There are only a few chapters and each chapter has different sections. My problem is that the author seemed to jump around and so you would be reading about something then she would be talking about something else.

[Sue Gross · Rating 3 out of 5]

how other cultures deal with death

[Ramandus Grayhat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fluidly written, moves from one topic to the next effortlessly. Explains death rituals and beliefs among various cultures and religions without bias.

[Mills College Library]

306.9 S3343 2016

[Dlmrose · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Louise Armstrong · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got bored with this - it's a list of customs but there's nothing much else. Flat reportage rather than mind-blowing ideas.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting topic but towards the end I found it a bit dry

[Sandy Barretts · Rating 1 out of 5]

Extremely shallow treatment.