SKU: 10937330580

The Work of the Dead: A Cultural History of Mortal Remains

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The Work of the Dead: A Cultural History of Mortal RemainsThe meaning of our concern for mortal remains from antiquity through the twentieth century The Greek philosopher Diogenes said that when he died his body should be tossed over the city walls for beasts to scavenge. Why should he or anyone else care what became of his corpse? In The Work of the Dead, acclaimed cultural historian Thomas Laqueur examines why humanity has universally rejected Diogenes's argument. No culture has been indifferent to mortal

The meaning of our concern for mortal remains--from antiquity through the twentieth century

The Greek philosopher Diogenes said that when he died his body should be tossed over the city walls for beasts to scavenge. Why should he or anyone else care what became of his corpse? In The Work of the Dead, acclaimed cultural historian Thomas Laqueur examines why humanity has universally rejected Diogenes's argument. No culture has been indifferent to mortal remains. Even in our supposedly disenchanted scientific age, the dead body still matters--for individuals, communities, and nations. A remarkably ambitious history, The Work of the Dead offers a compelling and richly detailed account of how and why the living have cared for the dead, from antiquity to the twentieth century.

The book draws on a vast range of sources--from mortuary archaeology, medical tracts, letters, songs, poems, and novels to painting and landscapes in order to recover the work that the dead do for the living: making human communities that connect the past and the future. Laqueur shows how the churchyard became the dominant resting place of the dead during the Middle Ages and why the cemetery largely supplanted it during the modern period. He traces how and why since the nineteenth century we have come to gather the names of the dead on great lists and memorials and why being buried without a name has become so disturbing. And finally, he tells how modern cremation, begun as a fantasy of stripping death of its history, ultimately failed--and how even the ashes of the victims of the Holocaust have been preserved in culture.

A fascinating chronicle of how we shape the dead and are in turn shaped by them, this is a landmark work of cultural history.-- "Library Journal"

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Published: 05/08/2018
ISBN: 9780691180939
Pages: 744
Weight: 2.00lbs
Size: 9.20h x 6.10w x 2.20d
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SKU: 10937330580

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Dylan Moyer
Houston, US
★★★★★ 5
Feels like paper and makes writing fun!
Model: iPad A16 11th/10th/Air 11
I was hesitant to start using my iPad for class because I HATED how my Apple Pencil sounded hitting the screen while I was writing. This product has completely changed my mind and now I use it almost daily! I love the feel of this screen and it has lasted all semester long. It was a little tricky getting the screen on just right, and I had to use both because the first time I had a bunch of air bubbles, but the second time was perfect! I think you would probably want to get a new screen every year to ensure it still has that paper-like feel, but I think that’s totally reasonable!
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Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2026
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P. A. ROJAS
Louisville, US
★★★★★ 4
It gets the job done.
Model: iPad 9th/8th/7th, Model: iPad 9th/8th/7th
It isn't too difficult to install, but no matter how hard i tried, I still got some bubbles under the screen. It doesn't feel exactly like writing on paper, but it is much more comfortable than writing on the glossy screen. After i did some writing on the screen, the screen got sime marks that looked like scratches, but it seems to be some kind of dust that comes off the scree, i wiped it off and it disappeared. Now everything on the screen looks pixelated.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2026
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Makayla | Tested in Real Life
Phoenix, US
★★★★★ 5
After Wasting Money on Kids Tablets… I got these. *Demo Video with 2 Devices*
Color: Gray, Size: 128 GB, Style: Tab A11+, Color: Gray, Size: 128 GB, Style: Tab A11+
I originally bought this tablet for my younger daughter, and after a full year of daily use, I ended up buying it again — and then a third time. Both of my kids (ages 7 and 14) now use the exact same tablet, just with different setups. And honestly? It’s been a much better choice than any “kids tablet” we’ve tried in the past. 🧠 Why I chose this over a kids tablet: I’ve purchased multiple kids-specific tablets before, and they were a waste of money. They were: slow to load limited to preset apps low storage restricted controls frustrating to use overall With this, I can: 👉 set my own parental controls 👉 allow only what I want 👉 still give my kids a fully functional device It’s a normal tablet — and that’s exactly why it works better. 👩‍👧‍👧 Real-life use (2 kids, same tablet) Both of my daughters use this daily, but in completely different ways: 7-year-old (1 year of use): YouTube (including shorts — no buffering issues) Kids games (Google Play) School work Taking photos 14-year-old (new user): Drawing (Ibis Paint X) Internet browsing Occasional games It handles BOTH without any issues. ⚡ Performance & usability Fast, smooth loading — no lag for everyday use Can run multiple apps/tabs easily No overheating, even with extended use Strong, stable WiFi connection Great battery life (lasts hours of use) Charges from 0–100% in about 2 hours It feels like using a large phone — everything is familiar and easy to navigate. 🖥️ Display & design Full 11” screen Clear, bright graphics Sleek, slim, lightweight design Extremely portable Great for videos, drawing, reading, and general use. ✍️ Input & compatibility Works well with fingertips, stylus, and S Pen Access to Google Play Store Syncs with Samsung account Can connect with other Samsung devices 📦 Storage & expandability 128GB internal storage Supports microSD (if needed) We’ve comfortably had: 25–30 apps/games installed before needing to clear space 📸 Camera Decent quality Perfectly fine for kids taking photos/videos 🔌 Small things to know Comes with USB-C cord, but no wall adapter You’ll need your own charging block Final Thoughts This is not marketed as a kids tablet — and that’s exactly why it works so well for kids. It’s: faster more flexible more reliable and something they won’t outgrow quickly After a full year of use and multiple purchases, I can confidently say: This has been one of the best tech purchases I’ve made for my kids. ❤️ My 14-year-old is just starting to explore digital art, and immediately began working on her very first piece using this tablet and a stylus. Watching her sit down and just… create without struggling with the tools was honestly the most impressive part for me. No lag, no weird pressure issues, no frustration — it felt natural to her right away. As a parent, that moment alone made this feel worth it. It turned something new and intimidating into something she was excited about instantly. She spent a total of 19 hours on her drawing. ⭐ I included a video showing how both of my kids use the same tablet differently, along with the different case setups we use. The first tablet is 1 year old, the second tablet is brand new.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2026
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Amazon Customer
San Leandro, US
★★★★★ 5
Good one, fair price, dependable, would buy again
Color: Gray, Size: 128 GB, Style: Tab A11+
Very satisfied, great screen, when you turn off the default screen setting, is really fast, Manufacturer tries to load too much of their stuff, got to go thru and shut it down one at a time, Overall I am very satisfied!
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Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2026
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J. Taylor
Battle Creek, US
★★★★★ 5
Thin, Light, Very Functional - Fantastic tablet
Color: Gray, Size: 256 GB, Style: Tab A11+, Color: Gray, Size: 256 GB, Style: Tab A11+
First off you only get a tablet, an USB-C to USB-C cable, quickstart instructions and Sumsung care info. That's it. No charger, no nothing else. Even the screen doesn't come with a protector, the tablet itself comes in a fabric/paper like bag. So advice: Buy a screen protector and/or case for this tablet! It's very thin and light weight! The tablet itself is fantastic. It plays all the games so far I threw at it, even the graphic intense ones. Compared to some Chinese ripoffs, this shines like a champ. The 256 gigs of space is plenty and 8 gigs of ram help alot! Truly the tablet is great for my use - Playing games and watching videos. I'm a little upset for the fact that it doesn't come with any charging device, but my phone's charger works fine. The USB-C to USB-C cable may come in handy (but my old PRO12 tablet uses the older usb port). Overall I'm very pleased with it. The games I played on my Moto G phone play fantastic on the A11+ plus it can play much more. Also I don't stream so I put videos on the tablet. My old tablet I had to convert them to make the compatible. The A11+ and Android 16 shines here. It can play most all my videos without conversion, even 4k HDR videos natively! And the sound it great with four speakers as well! Only downfall is the warranty. When I registered the tablet says something about the country of origin so I don't have warranty for the tablet. Just remember to have a charger for it, screen protector and I recommend a case!
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Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2026

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