Books and the Death Positive Movement

This past month I reread one of my favorite nonfiction books that has haunted me since it was published. Dark Archives by Megan Rosenbloom is an insightful and informative exposé of morbid curiosity and alternative perceptions of death. Rosenbloom illustrates certain notions towards death have led people to create books bound in human skin known as anthropodermic bibliopegy. It was this topic that led me to discover a movement dedicated to changing how society perceives death and confronts this ongoing debate of whether or not these artifacts should be preserved among libraries and museums.

The Death Positive movement organizationally known as The Order of the Good Death, promotes support for individuals and families during and after death, and challenges systems and conditions that lead to death such as violence and lack of access to care (The Order of the Good Death, n.d., para 3). Rosenbloom is the event arm of the organization. This comes to no surprise given her history as a medical librarian and sharing her knowledge of anthropodermic bibliopegy.

In Dark Archives she argues that these books should remain protected for research and to honor the peoples whose skin has been manipulated. It aligns with not only the mission of the Death Positive movement but also the preservationist predispositions of many librarians and museum curators. Preserving these books bound in human skin allows for DNA research to find out who the skins belonged to. It is about finding a sense of justice and bringing the humanity back to the object. It aligns with the concept of Death Positive movement that challenges the conditions that led to the person’s death.

Dark Archives has intrigued me on many levels. My fascination with literature and books was what initially urged me to read the book. As someone who has always been fascinated with macabre topics and death, this book encouraged me to explore the Death Positive movement. Rosenbloom exposed an intriguing topic that I am learning more about. If you are interested in this topic, I highly recommend her book!

Have you read this book? If so, what are your thoughts?

Works Cited

The Order of the Good Death. (n.d.).  Death Positive Movement, https://www.orderofthegooddeath.com/death-positive-movement/