Johan Mathiesen

Hey Darlin': Epitaphs of the Oregon Territory Johan Mathiesen

This collection of over 1100 epitaphs is not only the largest collection of epitaphs extant, it's the only one devoted to the epitaphs of ordinary people. Arranged by categories such as humor, eulogies, romantic, or borrowed quotes, it's an enlightening and sometime emotional window onto the final thoughts covering more than a thousand people. Sources of quotes have been annotated for relevance. Aside from being arranged by categories, each epitaph is indexed by first line and name(s) of the interred, as well as by cemetery. The majority of the entries are modern though some date as far back as the 1840s. All-in-all, an extraordinary glimpse into the lives of ordinary people and a reference book unlike any that have come before. It opens a new world in the study of folklore and anthropology. It mines untouched veins of gold. In many ways, epitaphs are haiku for the dead. They should be read with patience, discretion, and a glass of wine. Do not hurry through them.