Roadside Crosses in Contemporary Memorial Culture
"In this study of roadside crosses, the first of its kind, Holly Everett presents the history of these unique commemoratives and their relationship to contemporary memorial culture. The meaning of these markers is presented in the words of grieving parents, high school students, public officials, and private individuals whom the author interviewed during her fieldwork in Texas." "Everett covers more than thirty-five memorial sites with twenty-five photographs representing the wide range of...
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Everett (doctoral candidate, folklore, Memorial U. of Newfoundland, Canada) read newspaper reports and interviewed families and friends to learn about those memorialized by 35 roadside crosses in the area around Austin, Texas. The case studies of the crosses (photographs of most of them are included) form the center of the book, which begins and ends with an analysis of memorials, including consideration of Hispanic traditions. Annotation c. Book News, Inc.,Portland, ORPublishers WeeklyEveryone sees them-roadside shrines that are spontaneously erected to commemorate a highway death or fatal accident. In this short but perceptive academic study, Everett outlines the multiple purposes of erecting a roadside shrine: it helps friends, relatives and strangers cope with their sudden loss; serves as a meeting place for the bereft; calls public attention to the death; and communicates a "grim warning" to other motorists. Everett's study is narrow; she examines only Christian artifacts and shrines, and her primary research was conducted entirely in Texas. However, as she notes, there is a certain universality to these roadside memorials, which spring up all across the country with a ghostly familiarity. Everett's book will be esteemed by academics and folklorists who specialize in material culture, but also by general readers who are able to look beyond scholarly references. Twenty-five b&w photos demonstrate some of the crosses and shrines discussed in the book. (Oct.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
List of IllustrationsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsCh. 1Memorial Culture: The Material Response to Loss1Ch. 2The Cross-cultural Roadside Cross15Ch. 3Roadside Memorial Case Studies38Ch. 4Bereavement Made Manifest81Ch. 5Cross Connections, Social Meanings101Notes121Bibliography127Index139
\ Publishers WeeklyEveryone sees them-roadside shrines that are spontaneously erected to commemorate a highway death or fatal accident. In this short but perceptive academic study, Everett outlines the multiple purposes of erecting a roadside shrine: it helps friends, relatives and strangers cope with their sudden loss; serves as a meeting place for the bereft; calls public attention to the death; and communicates a "grim warning" to other motorists. Everett's study is narrow; she examines only Christian artifacts and shrines, and her primary research was conducted entirely in Texas. However, as she notes, there is a certain universality to these roadside memorials, which spring up all across the country with a ghostly familiarity. Everett's book will be esteemed by academics and folklorists who specialize in material culture, but also by general readers who are able to look beyond scholarly references. Twenty-five b&w photos demonstrate some of the crosses and shrines discussed in the book. (Oct.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.\ \
