Changing ways of death in twentieth-century Australia : war, medicine, and the funeral business

Death and bereavement come to us all. This is the first book to help us explain and understand their history across twentieth-century Australia. It draws aside the veil of silence that surrounded death for fifty years after 1918—characterized by denial, minimal ritual and private sorrow—and explores the dramatic changes since the 1980s. Emotional and compelling, award-winning writer Pat Jalland's important book looks at the World Wars and the impact of medicine, with many stories drawn from letters and diaries. She also discusses cancer, euthanasia, palliative care, the funeral business, cemeteries and cremation. CONTENTS......Page 6 Acknowledgments......Page 8 PART I A transformed culture of death and grief......Page 12 1 Introduction: The world we have lost......Page 13 2 ‘Death denial’ and silent grief......Page 27 PART II The two World Wars and denial of death......Page 49 3 The Great War: Heroic deaths and distant graves......Page 50 4 The ‘silent heartache’ of the Great War......Page 84 5 Private and secular grief: Katharine Susannah Prichard......Page 115 6 Airmen missing, presumed dead: 'Without emotion, without witness, without farewell'......Page 136 7 The ‘horrible nightmare’ of prisoners of war in the Asia-Pacific......Page 161 8 The Second World War and the suppression of sorrow......Page 180 PART III Medicine and dying in the twentieth century......Page 200 9 The medicalisation of death......Page 201 10 Kylie Tennant and the war against cancer......Page 216 11 Euthanasia and the doctors......Page 243 12 Palliative care and the hospice movement......Page 266 PART IV The funeral business, cemeteries and cremation......Page 287 13 The funeral business in Australia: ‘A racket in human sorrow'?......Page 288 14 Overcrowded burial grounds, modern lawn cemeteries and mausolea......Page 311 15 Cremation in Australia since 1914......Page 335 PART V The second cultural shift......Page 356 16 The revival of expressive grief......Page 357 Notes......Page 379 Select Bibliography......Page 398 Index......Page 405 Pt. I. A Transformed Culture Of Death And Grief -- 1. Introduction : The World We Have Lost -- 2. 'death Denial' And Silent Grief -- Pt. Ii. The Two World Wars And Denial Of Death -- 3. The Great War : Heroic Deaths And Distant Graves -- 4. The 'silent Heartache' Of The Great War -- 5. Private And Secular Grief : Katharine Susannah Prichard -- 6. Airmen Missing, Presumed Dead : 'without Emotion, Without Witness, Without Farewell' -- 7. The 'horrible Nightmare' Of Prisoners Of War In The Asia-pacific -- 8. The Second World War And The Suppression Of Sorrow -- Pt. Iii. Medicine And Dying In The Twentieth Century -- 9. The Medicalisation Of Death -- 10. Kylie Tennant And The War Against Cancer -- 11. Euthanasia And The Doctors Pat Jalland. Includes Index. Bibliography: P. [392]-398.