Writings

Writings

Essays

Books

My first book, basically my dissertation, was good fun to write, and I still get a kick out of reading it, especially the opening that explores the afterlife of two corpses in 1799: the nation’s first president, George Washington; and an anonymous suicide.
My first book, basically my dissertation, was good fun to write, and I still get a kick out of reading it, especially the opening that explores the afterlife of two corpses in 1799: the nation’s first president, George Washington; and an anonymous suicide.
My second book, a sequel to the first, continues the story after Lincoln’s death and funeral journey in 1865, and charts the birth and rise of the funeral industry in the years following and through the 20th century. Best part of researching this one: talking with some funeral directors.
My second book, a sequel to the first, continues the story after Lincoln’s death and funeral journey in 1865, and charts the birth and rise of the funeral industry in the years following and through the 20th century. Best part of researching this one: talking with some funeral directors.
My third book has nothing to do with death. Except for that final chapter, really. This one’s more of an overview of the sacred as a source of varied and often unrecognized religious life in American cultures.
My third book has nothing to do with death. Except for that final chapter, really. This one’s more of an overview of the sacred as a source of varied and often unrecognized religious life in American cultures.

Edited Collections

The first book I edited, a project that arose after I was hired at Emory, a couple of years before the 1996 Summer Olympics. The chairperson at the time, Paul Courtright, thought it might be a useful collection, so I rallied some writers, mostly graduate students and some friends, and we got it out right on time. And somehow we corralled a former President to write the Foreword.
The first book I edited, a project that arose after I was hired at Emory, a couple of years before the 1996 Summer Olympics. The chairperson at the time, Paul Courtright, thought it might be a useful collection, so I rallied some writers, mostly graduate students and some friends, and we got it out right on time. And somehow we corralled a former President to write the Foreword.
I co-edited this with a great friend, Luis Leon, who I met in graduate school at UCSB. A major collaborative editing and writing project, and one I’m proud to be a part of because of him.
I co-edited this with a great friend, Luis Leon, who I met in graduate school at UCSB. A major collaborative editing and writing project, and one I’m proud to be a part of because of him.
I co-edited this multi-volume set with a great colleague at Emory, Arri Eisen. We had a number of great years generating and collaborating on various Emory-related science and religion initiatives. This is a product of those years. And somehow we roped in His Holiness, the Dali Lama, to write the Preface.
I co-edited this multi-volume set with a great colleague at Emory, Arri Eisen. We had a number of great years generating and collaborating on various Emory-related science and religion initiatives. This is a product of those years. And somehow we roped in His Holiness, the Dali Lama, to write the Preface.