Saving Graces: Images of Women in European Cemeteries

Wonderful photographs and subjects. For the reasonable cost, this book is a must. Love and death -- at its best.

The joys of life are not all free from sorrow; The stern decree goes forth with truth today; Unyeilding fate speaks-we must part tomorrow; What sweet remembrances the heart doth borrow; But yet they cannot departure stay; No words can tell what thou to us hast given; Thou, unassuming, dost thyself not know. Oh, may to thee in other lands be given, Bright fame and joy-and every gift of heaven, Her choicest blessings in thy work shall show. The warmth of friendship in our glances beaming, Express our gratitude, and yet 'Tis not enough, and tears are slowly streaming; Thy noble heart has surely guessed the meaning, Then say thou ne'er wilt us forget.

I cannot take my hands off this book. It contains ominous photographs of bewildered woman, and although it has sadness scrawled over, there is a tug in viewer's heart, a sort of consolation that underneath this miserable existence, there is someone who weeps for you. And the sculptures surely represent that.

This is not scholarly, it is as the title says "Images of Women in European Cemeteries" and you won't get very much information about who did the carving, what they were thinking draping a nude woman over their grave, or even who's grave she is indeed draped on. What you will get are many many lovely black and white photos, that are really finely taken. I should point out that I love cemeteryies and photography and this is really a little book I could get into.... if you do like photography ... check out Wee Gee as well.

This is a beautiful book with wonderful, thought-provoking photos of weeping women, gladdened women, resting women, all kinds of women mourning a loved one. The essays by the author and by Joyce Carol Oates clarify the mystery of the sculptures and why they explain more about the living than about the dead. These photos were all taken in European cemeteries. Surely there must be a comparable book for the U.S. This one is well worth the price; it is truly exquisite.