A Is For Arsenic: An ABC of Victorian Death

A is for Arsenic defines and explains the basics of Victorian mourning traditions and objects, digging up the truth about tear bottles, post-mortem photography, and poisonous mourning veils, using anecdotes, macabre stories, and even jokes from the Victorian press. The book also debunks several Victorian mourning myths. Each entry includes an evocative pen and ink illustration by award-winning artist Landis Blair. There are 26 alphabetical entries–from Arsenic to Zinc, along with an informative glossary, appendix, and detailed bibliography. A – Arsenic; B – Bier; C – Crape; D – Death Token; E – Embalming; F – Fisk Burial Case; G – Gates Ajar; H – Hearse; I – Ice Box; J – Jet; K – Keen; L – Lychgate; M – Mute; N – Necropolis; O – Obelisk; P – Post Mortem; Q – Queen Victoria; R – Resurrection Men; S – Shroud; T – Tear Bottle; U – Undertaker; V – Veil; X – Sexton; W – Weepers; Y – Churchyard; Z – Zinc