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Buried Alive
Buried Alive: A History of Premature Burials and Accidental Interments | Aj Griffiths-Jones
1 post | 1 read
The macabre meets the factual in this spine-chilling exploration of humanity's darkest fear: being buried alive. From ancient folklore to modern medical marvels, Buried Alive delves deep into the annals of history, uncovering tales of premature interment and miraculous escapes. Imagine the horror of waking up in a coffin, surrounded by suffocating darkness, with no hope of escape. Drawing on historical records and eyewitness accounts, this book reveals the grim reality of those who were inadvertently entombed before their time. From cases of war, where whole battalions have been covered in earth whilst still living, to ritual and superstition, from voodoo to suttee in Haiti and India, as well as the immurement in walls or errant monks and convent sisters. Less-known cases of burials of the living, through murderous intentions and natural disasters are also told, alongside tales of fakirs and hypnotists whose challenges were to have themselves put into a grave and left for days. Amidst tales of terror, this book also celebrates the resilience and heroism of those who defied death's grasp, providing a wealth of historical detail and many cases which have never before appeared in print. From the invention of bell-rigged coffins to the formation of societies dedicated to preventing premature burials, discover the remarkable measures taken to combat this age-old fear. Through meticulous research and a gripping narrative, Buried Alive separates fact from fiction, shedding light on the truth behind centuries of taphophobia. This book is a haunting reminder of the fragility of life and the enduring power of human resilience in the face of our deepest fears.
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review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Mehso-so

This book looks at the topic of premature interment (a more genteel way of saying buried alive) & some miraculous escapes in the nick of time. To be honest, I'm really not sure what possessed me to read this book, I can't think of something more likely to induce nightmares! It was shocking just how many possible 'premature interments' there may have been, particularly around the time of war or disease. (continued)

OutsmartYourShelf Thankfully the risk of being buried alive has lessened somewhat in more modern times although it has not disappeared completely.

It was also absolutely unfathomable to me how people could have heard shouting or knocking & instead of immediately digging it back up or opening the coffin, going off to find someone in charge. An official in one of the cases waited TWO DAYS after sounds were heard before allowing it to be opened. TWO DAYS!
3w
OutsmartYourShelf The book itself is very readable. Rather than a linear narrative it was split into different topics (i.e. ritual, criminal, accidental, etc) & mainly consisted of a listing of cases. They were very interesting, if macabre, & there was obviously a lot of local history research completed by the author. I did notice that sometimes a death concerning a particular topic would be included in one chapter & then a later chapter would deal the topic in 3w
OutsmartYourShelf more detail - it gave the book a repetitious feel in places even though no cases were actually repeated. If that makes sense. It also ends very suddenly with no concluding chapter which felt a little abrupt. 3⭐

My thanks to #NetGalley & publishers, Pen & Sword, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7027284105
Read 25-27 Nov 2024

#Readaway2024 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES @andrew65 #NFN @bookwormjillk
(edited) 3w
See All 6 Comments
Bookwormjillk Yikes! Can you imagine researching this book? 3w
OutsmartYourShelf @Bookwormjillk No, reading it was enough 🙂 3w
DieAReader 🥳Great! 3w
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