Remember Me As You Pass By: Stories from Prairie Graveyards
written by Nancy Millar
Nancy Millar learned two things as she explored Alberta’s graveyards: graveyards contain our history, and our history is never boring!
In this lively and most unusual history book, you’ll – learn about the real Sam McGee who lived and died in Alberta; discover why babies died in the bad old days; look at the differences between men and women in the graveyard; learn about the changing style in gravemarkers.
Nancy Millar’s refreshing perspective offers up an intriguing and very personal look at history that touches us all.
Review
Remember Me As You Pass By: Stories from Prairie Graveyards by Nancy Millar is interesting and while I definitely recommend it for anyone from Alberta or genealogy in the province, I confess to expecting more from the prairie provinces because of the subtitle "Stories from Prairie Graveyards" which would have been much more accurate to state "Stories from Alberta Graveyards".
The cover blurb of course does specify Alberta, but that isn't much help when you're looking for titles using keywords such as "cemetery" and "graveyard" to learn more about them in a library catalogue.
One way that I relate to how Miller chose to present her subject is that for me, the first and strongest draw to cemeteries has always been the markers. The ultimate footnote in the story of life. Only as I've started transcribing cemeteries have I become interested in learning the stories of the "permanent residents." Though of course, with Miller stating to have visited 250 some cemeteries while researching, only a small fraction of the most interesting stories were included in the book.
I do wish though that Miller had devoted more to "look[ing] at the differences between men and women in the graveyard; learn about the changing style in gravemarkers" as promised by the blurb. It's why I really wanted to read the book in the first place, to learn about those sort of things.
All in all though, I doubt any taphophilia would mind vegging out with this book.
Source: Millar, Nancy. Remember me as you pass by : stories from prairie graveyards. Calgary; Glenbow, 1994.
I stumbled across this while researching for my urban fantasy. A great deal takes place in the town cemetery. When I saw Nancy Millar's book, I wondered if it was worth buying (for me). This review was super helpful, thanks!
ReplyDeleteOy, where's the like button? :)