Encyclopedia of The End: Mysterious Death in Fact, Fancy, Folklore and More

Noyes, Deborah. Encyclopedia of The End: Mysterious Death in Fact, Fancy, Folklore and More. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2008. Tr. $25.00 ISBN 978-0-618-82362-8.

What’s it about? This is a short encyclopedia on death and funeral customs, as well as things associated with death, such as karma, Goths, birds, bells, and even—mirrors?

Find out more: This may seem a morbid item to hand to pre-teens and teens, but death is a part of life, and kids in this age are beginning to be aware of this. Some become fascinated with the topic. Encyclopedia of The End: Mysterious Death in Fact, Fancy, Folklore and More may answer some of the questions they have—and present new and interesting information. While this is a fascinating resource, it isn’t exhaustive, nor is it meant to be. Noyes intentionally presented her research in encyclopedic format, encouraged browsing, which may help readers digest this heavy information. There is a subject indez in the back, and Noyes cross-references her entries. Entries range from the expected (decomposition, funerary rites, morgue) to the intriquing (Ars Moriendi, Cryonics, the Hand of Glory). Many entries present historical and cultural information on funeral rites, such as the Bon festivals of the Japanese, ancient burial customs, and death masks.

In each entry, straight facts, trivia and anecdotes are presented in an engaging, never overly morbid tone. There is occasional commentary from Noyes, which keeps the book from being dry and overly-serious. The entry on Goths, for example, is a bit tongue –in-cheek: Noyes explains that many Goths are drawn to this subculture because they are non-conformists and appreciate the aesthetic. She points out that it “doesn’t hurt. . . to be fascinated with the otherworldly and mystical, to be cynical, tragically romantic, campy, theatrical, and committed to tolerance, individuality, and creativity” (Noyes, 59).  The graphics are illustrative and never distracting, and most are tasteful and age-appropriate. A few images may be questionable for pre-teens and younger teens, such as the photo of the gibbet—complete with an encased mummified corpse. Overall, this is a unique non-fiction book that is perfect for library Halloween displays and for middle-schoolers and teens curious about death.  

Genre: Non-fiction

Reading level: 10^th grade

Interest level: Grades 6-10

Read-alikes: No true read-alikes, but tweens and teens interested in reading more about folklore may enjoy Carol Rose’s Giants, Monsters, and Dragons: An Encyclopedia of Folklore, Legend, and Myth

Subjects: Death, History of death, Funeral customs in different cultures, religious beliefs about death