The A–Z of Death and Dying: Social, Medical, and Cultural Aspects fills a gap in thanatology encyclopedias since 2009’s Encyclopedia of Death and the Human Experience (SAGE) and Macmillan Encyclopedia of Death and Dying (Macmillan Reference, 2003).

The A–Z of Death and Dying: Social, Medical, and Cultural Aspects focuses on topics related to social, medical, and cultural aspects of the study of death, as the title implies. Articles are varied and include topics such as cults, domestic violence, embalming, terrorism, Alzheimer’s disease, art and literature, medicalization, palliative care, religion, sex and death, superstitions, and zombies. There are 189 encyclopedic articles, which are arranged alphabetically in one volume. The work includes a table of contents and an index. Article lengths range from half pages to three pages but average about one page. Each article includes related article suggestions, as well as selections for further reading. Some photos are included.

Each article in The A–Z of Death and Dying: Social, Medical, and Cultural Aspects is well written, making many topics that would otherwise be complex very accessible for the reader. The articles are very informative and unbiased. The breadth of topics covered will appeal to those interested in multidisciplinary fields as well as the particular study of death, and the wide array of topics covered might also lend to serendipitous discovery for the reader.

Since The A–Z of Death and Dying is only a one-volume work, space seems limited and some topics that could have more information provided seem to be cut a little short.

The A–Z of Death and Dying: Social, Medical, and Cultural Aspects is intended for high school and low-level undergraduates, and I recommend it without reservation.