Introduction

At the end of our days our bodies will usually either be cremated and placed in urns or laid out in long rectangular boxes of various materials and prices before being borne to eternal rest.

Feature of Classic Literature

In the case of the latter, our classic authors have made the coffin a feature of many stories. Here, in this volume, talents such as Anton Chekhov, Willa Cather, Alexander Pushkin and others write beautifully on the lives affected by this most macabre of props.