This is more than a book about Puritans or about death. It is also about family, community, and identity in the modern world. The book is an intelligent and highly original study of 17th-century attitudes toward death, which were profoundly different from those in our own time. Prof. Stannard's object is not merely to understand that period but to provide a perspective on the present. He skillfully combines historical research with important hypotheses concerning social change. The book rests upon a strong command of social science literature and is written with grace and style. Illustrations.