Initially concerned exclusively with death and burial, this volume grew to encompass the role of the living and the towns they inhabit. The ten papers take an informal, relaxed tone, seeking to inspire discussion rather than provide a definitive summary. John Bradley's candid and witty "Urbanization in Early Medieval Ireland" stands out especially. He points out that history is not just about the past; it is very much about the present. (Spaces of the Living and the Dead) adeptly interweaves both, examining historical facts and our modern biases toward them.