Grave Matters: The New, Updated (and Cheaper) Paperback

Grave Matters may not exactly be a holiday read -- well, maybe it is to the readers of this blog -- but on Tuesday, almost two weeks from Christmas Day, Scribner released an updated, paperback version of the book.

The hardcover, which was published in January of 2007, chronicles the experiences of families who found in green burial a more natural, more economic, and ultimately more meaningful alternative to the tired and toxic American Way of Death. For some families that meant burying their loved ones in natural cemeteries or at sea. For others it involved conducting home funerals, hiring local carpenters to furnish simple pine boxes, maybe casting ashes into memorial reefs.

The paperback gave me an opportunity to update that material and to report on the phenomenal growth of the green burial movement.

New material in the paperback, in part, includes:
* Profiles of nearly two dozen natural cemeteries that have sprung up around the country
* Lists of almost 40 home funeral providers from coast to coast
* Information on eco coffin manufacturers and distributors
* A new afterword on the growth of the green burial movement

Price is better, too: $15. Even cheaper on-line.

Finally, a heartfelt thanks to the many, many wonderful folks I've met who have helped me with this project. You’ve graciously shared your experiences and knowledge, invited me into your homes and communities and made the writing of a book feel almost like a family endeavor. For that, and much more, I'm grateful.

Mark Harris
Author, Grave Matters (www.gravematters.us)