Chicagoans, history buffs and casual readers alike can enjoy this book, which in itself acts as a permanent monument to the life stories it recounts.
“Laden with the stories of the dead, there’s a lot to learn about life in the weighty, historical recounting of Chicago's most famous (and infamous) graves….It’s the kind of photography book meant for fresh Saturday mornings and casual sippings of coffee. But reader be warned: You may end up poring over the deathly imagery and snapshots of Chicago history for longer than it takes to caffeinate. It’s more than just vivid images of headstones and monuments—at its heart, Chicago Eternal is not about imagery, but about life storytelling.”
—Brigitte Ganger, Beyond the Dash
The Photography Is Magnificent...A Must for Anyone Interested in History, in Funerary Art, or the History of the People of Chicagoland
“Larry’s photography is magnificent…He included some cemeteries I am very familiar with and some cemeteries I have never heard of (and I thought I knew all there was to know about Chicago-area cemeteries)…This book is a must for anyone interested in history, in funerary art, or the history of the people of Chicagoland. You will find yourself (as I did) going back to this book again and again… I guarantee if you leave a copy on your coffee table your guests will leaf through it and immediately get hooked. Better buy several copies to give as gifts.”
—Jim Craig, Under Every Tombstone
Simply Stunning, Truly Inspiring
“I have read, and own, scores of cemetery books and I must say that Broutman has pushed this art form to a new level…Chicago Eternal is grandiose venture, a true labor of love. It is about memory, respect, and the way we choose to mark the lives of those who have gone before us… Broutman’s book has much more to offer—wonderfully composed images, insightful text, celebrity graves, exhaustive coverage of all of Chicago's major burial spots, and....3D glasses…Two of the most appealing atmospheric conditions under which to photograph cemetery statuary are in the snow, and under cloudy skies before a storm. Oddly, many of Broutman’s images were made under just these conditions…His discerning use of depth of field and limited use of HDR make the images quite pleasing to the eye…Broutman puts flesh on the bone with his images and text, bringing history to life in ways that a simple history book cannot... Broutman reminds us that there is a unique person’s life behind every gravestone—a life worth learning about.”
Wow! A Simply Stunning Walk Through Chicago Cemeteries
“Wow! A simply stunning walk through Chicago cemeteries. The beautiful eye-catching photographs of the monuments will have you pausing on every page to marvel over the architecture of days gone by. You just don’t see memorials like this anymore, and seeing these ornate statues will have you yearning to stroll through these cemeteries in person. It’s not just pictures though, there’s also great Chicago historical information and profiles of the burials featured...If you have an interest in Chicago history or cemetery statuary, then I highly recommend you check out Chicago Eternal.”
—Sheri, Good Reads, 5 stars
5 Stars—This Book Is Amazing
“Larry Broutman has been researching Chicago’s cemeteries and recording them with his beautiful photography for the past five years. In the pages of Chicago Eternal, he takes readers on a spectacular tour of death’s domain, which is, in another sense, a celebration of the fullness and flourishing of life....I have to say this book is amazing. I have always has a love of visiting cemeteries. One of my favorite things about this book was the section that has 3-D images and it comes with a set of 3-D glasses. The pictures made me feel like I was right there. I shared the book with family and it still has not come back to me. I did get the feeling that great care and respect was taken when this book was made. It is like a book of memories and voice for those buried there. There were a couple of times that I was struck with sadness and some with smile.”
—From the Book Reviewer's Desk, January 3, 2019
Beautiful Book Comes with 3-D Glasses Inside!
“If you enjoy books about cemeteries (and I do, honestly!), you’ll love Chicago Eternal by Larry Broutman. The book is a beautiful coffee-table-style volume on heavy paper stock with photographs—mostly in color—of impressive monuments in the city’s finest historic graveyards. The visuals are accompanied by well-researched information on the individuals and families represented. Some of the city’s permanent 'residents' are well known. Famous names include Olympic gold medalist Jesse Owens, Oscar F. Mayer of meat-packing fame, and Cyrus Hall McCormick, inventor of a reaper that revolutionized agriculture in the 1800s. Others are not celebrated but passed away as young children or have an especially striking gravestone...The book even comes with 3-D paper glasses that add to the fun. So sit back and enjoy!”
—Diana Schneidman, Amazon, 5 stars
Lovely Landscapes Captured in Every Season
“Chicago Eternal explores the one-of-a-kind architecture and artwork that graces Chicago’s cemeteries, as well as exploring the city’s history from trappers to farmers to railroads and stockyards to gangsters to politicians. Famous names appear—from Jesse Owens to Al Capone—but smaller stories sometimes have more emotional weight, like the tale of the creator of Cracker Jack, whose grandson posed for the original image of Jack, or Cale Cramer, who died in a train wreck saving his passengers. It visits the graves of those killed in the St. Valentine’s Massacre and the victim of Leopold and Loeb, but it tells love stories, too.The lovely landscapes are captured in every season from the first buds of spring to snow blanketing the graves. I can’t say enough about the beautiful statuary captured by Broutman’s camera. Chicago really does have a wealth of artwork, available to anyone who walks in the cemetery gates. If you are interested in American statuary, history, or cemeteries, this book is a must-have.”
—Loren Rhoad, Amazon, 5 stars
Lavish Chicago Cemetery Book
“Massive book. Don't expect to page through this on the bus! I was concerned by the price tag, but I think it's fair having gotten my copy. The book is well illustrated with beautiful photos. I so liked my copy I plan to get a second for the silent auction at The Association for Gravestone Studies Conference. If you can drop this much on a book and want a gravestone coffee table book, you will not be disappointed by this book.”
—John Martine, Amazon, 5 stars
A book you can pick up from time to time and learn snippets of the history of Chicago and yet not be overwhelmed.
“Mr. Broutman traveled to over thirty cemeteries documenting stones of the famous, and infamous former residents of Chicago, people who had roles in the history of the city as well as actors, actresses, mob members, and various other talented people who have participated in the making of the second city. Mr. Broutman shares his findings with the reader through photographs of both tombstones, and when possible, portraits of the individuals buried beneath the earth so many years ago.”
—Dan Dixon, historian, Wimmers Cemetery Association, GoodReads
