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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
light on information, heavy on opinion!,
By
This review is from: The Very Quiet Baltimoreans: A Guide to the Historic Cemeteries and Burial Sites of Baltimore (Hardcover)
I feel that this book should be titled "Ms. Wilson's Take on Baltimore Cemeteries and Society."
I question her need to reinforce the "Who's Who" of the cemeteries. This reads more as a social registry. The length of review for each cemetery is directly related to the number of famous people interred in a particular cemetery (at least those who measure up to Ms. Wilson standard of famous or prominent). Some of the smaller burial sites have WONDERFUL significance, but this is lost on Ms. Wilson due to the lack of prominent Baltimore family names. Her tone and some of her statements can be seen as just an injection of opinion and based very little on fact. Two cemeteries in the Baltimore enclave that I have recently researched turned up some examples of this. In reference to Most Holy Redeemer (one of the largest Catholic cemeteries in the city)and interment site of many influential Italian Families, Ms. Wilson states that "the cemetery, though attractive and well kept, is not otherwise remarkable." This is purely opinion with no factual basis. In her discussion of Jewish Cemeteries in the city, she briefly touched on B'nai Israel Congregation Cemetery. It only took her two paragraphs to discuss the burying ground for 32 congregations, one of these being the Lloyd Street Synagogue (a very important Baltimore institution). Out of the two paragraphs related to this burying ground, one is a commentary on Jewish custom: "One curious custom is seen here and elsewhere in Jewish cemeteries and that is the leaving of small stones on the markers. This is to indicate that the grave has been recently visited. As the stones can damage mowers, the caretakers find the custom infuriating." This seems completely out of place as part of the discussion of this particular site as well as a poorly worded comment on Jewish custom that could be taken by some as inflammatory or condescending. However, these are prime examples of the tone and commentary throughout the book. As I have only researched the small area of Gardenville, in Northeast Baltimore City, I can only speak to the way cemeteries in this areas were particularly addressed. I feel confident in saying that if this is the approach for this particular community, it is probably characteristic of her approach across tha board and in all communities. If you want a source that pays homage to the upper echelons of early Baltimore society and the "blue blood families" of a by-gone era, then this is the book for you. If you want a truly serious study of cemeteries and burials in Baltimore, you'll need to write one... it doesn't exist! All in all, "The Very Quiet Baltimoreans" had the potential to be a beautiful book. It could have been an exquisite "coffee table" book with glowing photos of beautiful, sprawling garden cemeteries, such as Louden Park, and quaint family plots, such as the Furley Family cemetery. It could have packed a powerful punch with detailed history and background on the various communities. These tight communities have created the culture of Baltimore city as many seemed eager to have thier dead buried close by, near their homes or houses of worship. Ms. Wilson failed in both areas and that is a tragedy. Her focus on "Society" made her lose sight of the greater significance of society.
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