"Skull after painted or bejeweled skull relays a story that’s as much about life as it is about death. . . . There’s something intangible here—how ‘memento mori,’ literally meaning ‘remember that you will die,’ isn’t always a looming threat, and tangible human remains can evoke love and respect for life"
"Visually stunning . . . documents how different cultures around the world from Ethiopia to Rwanda to Nepal honor their dead."
"Phenomenal photographs and a fascinating survey of death across cultures and history… Wrapped in a blue satin cover, with more than 500 illustrations, Memento Mori offers a striking tribute to many ways of remembering and honoring death and the dead."
"Paul Koudounaris aims his lens at cultures where the dead play key roles in the lives of the living—as in a Bolivian festival where skulls are strewn with flower petals, or on Indonesian islands where the mummies of deceased family members are kept at home and given a place at the table, both literally and figuratively."
"10 Best New Photography Books of Spring 2015"
"A stunning portrait of how human remains are used in devotional and decorative ceremonies throughout the world."
"Show[s], in stunning visual terms, mankind’s universal desire to cross the threshold of death and continue a meaningful relationship with those who have departed."
"Some of the most jaw-dropping imagery you’ll ever encounter."
"Koudounaris is a skilled photographer, as the 500+ pictures in this oversized book attest, but even more so, he's a skilled and sensitive historian, who brings an anthropologist's empathy to the task of documenting and framing the varied practices depicted in the book. . . . Oversized with an embossed cover and spine, Memento Mori sports outstanding color prints and beautiful design."
"Part history lesson, and part documentary. . . . This is a fascinating book that points out the evolution of the perception of death and the dead in various cultures."
09/01/2015
Author and photographer Koudounaris's work explores how images and remains of the dead feature in other traditions—contemporary and historical. Some may find the topic morbid, but the images are undeniably beautiful, haunting, and visually striking. Compelling essays explain how life is celebrated by honoring the physical remnants of the body. Charnels, ossuaries, shrines, and temples in Italy, Greece, Germany, and Ethiopia are featured, among others. Bolivia receives special attention for its Fiesta de las Natitas. Christian traditions of memorializing human remains are addressed; readers also glean an understanding of Torajan traditions in Indonesia, tribal mummification practices in the Philippines, and Buddhist mummification customs in Asia. On a more sobering note, the volume reflects two genocides of the latter 20th century: Cambodia's Khmer Rouge regime and Rwanda's brutal, ethnically motivated massacre. Photographs of memorial sites contain visceral physical reminders of horrendous acts of violence that killed so many. The book's cross-cultural approach portrays death as a transition, rather than an "irreversible and impenetrable" border. VERDICT Recommended for readers who are both fascinated with the macabre and comfortable with their own mortality. For additional reading on the subject, see the author's The Empire of Death and Heavenly Bodies.—Rachael Dreyer, American Heritage Ctr., Laramie, WY