Cranioklepty: Grave Robbing and the Search for Genius

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Overview

Beginning with the surprising opening of Haydn's grave in October 1820, Cranioklepty takes us through the extraordinary history of a peculiar kind of obsession.

The desire to possess the skulls of the brilliant and famous — for study, for sale, for public (and very private) display — has in some people been irresistible. And the lengths they have gone to achieve their acquisitions have at times become a comedy of the grotesque.

The after-death stories of Haydn, Beethoven, Emanuel Swedenborg, Sir Thomas Browne and others have never before been told in such wretched detail and lightning vividness. Fully researched, ...

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More About This Book

Overview

Beginning with the surprising opening of Haydn's grave in October 1820, Cranioklepty takes us through the extraordinary history of a peculiar kind of obsession.

The desire to possess the skulls of the brilliant and famous — for study, for sale, for public (and very private) display — has in some people been irresistible. And the lengths they have gone to achieve their acquisitions have at times become a comedy of the grotesque.

The after-death stories of Haydn, Beethoven, Emanuel Swedenborg, Sir Thomas Browne and others have never before been told in such wretched detail and lightning vividness. Fully researched, indexed, and illustrated with some surprising images, this is a fascinating and authoritive history of ideas carries along on the guilty pleasures of an anthology of real afterlife gothic tales.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
The word “skullduggery” finds a new meaning in Dickey's well-vetted account of those obsessed with owning the skulls of the highly talented and famous. Fiction and nonfiction writer Dickey (co-editor of Failure! Experiments in Aesthetic and Social Practices) takes the reader back to the plucky grave robbers who stole the craniums of famed composers Haydn and Beethoven, Swedish mystic Emanuel Swedenborg, artist Francisco Goya, the English doctor and philosopher Sir Thomas Browne and others to sell, study or put on public display. The skull obsession was triggered by the infamous “Gall system,” created in the late 18th century by Franz Joseph Gall, who theorized that the bumps and dents of the skull could provide a measure of intelligence. The author not only describes the profitable trade of grave robbing, but the chemical technique of cleaning a skull, the patronage of medical schools and the complex scientific debates about whether the size and shape of skulls and brains tell us anything about human intelligence or personality. Blending science with historical drama, Dickey's book illuminates the mystery and controversy of a bizarre tradition throughout the ages. (Sept. 3)

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781932961867
  • Publisher: Unbridled Books
  • Publication date: 9/29/2009
  • Pages: 320
  • Sales rank: 1,090,647
  • Product dimensions: 6.20 (w) x 9.10 (h) x 1.10 (d)

Table of Contents

Prologue: Non Omnis Moriar

Part 1 A Most Valuable Relic

1 Mapping the Invisible 15

2 The Music Lover 35

3 "So Was She, So She Is Now" 51

4 The Golden Lyre 66

5 "All the Ferrets Were Set in Motion" 80

Part 2 The Alchemical Body

6 "The Riddle-Filled Book of Destiny" 89

7 The New Science 104

8 Skulduggery 124

9 The Brainowner and His Skull 148

10 Fragments of a Mystery 167

Part 3 The Fate of His Bones

11 A City of Corpses 177

12 Scientific Golgothas 188

13 A Measure of Fame 201

14 Some Last Pathetic Quibbling 213

15 Homo Renaissancus 223

Part 4 Repatriations

16 Homecomings 239

17 Rival Skulls 249

18 The Ruined Bridges to the Past 267

19 Hoaxes and Ringers 283

20 The End of the End of the Story 294

Bibliography 303

Index of Names 307

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Sort by: Showing all of 2 Customer Reviews

  • Posted October 12, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    Bridget's Review

    I never really thought much about the skulls of people who were incredibly smart but after reading this book, I must admit that I find the subject intriguing. I'm not saying I'm going to go searching for some skulls to keep in my basement, but I enjoyed reading Colin's book. It's informative and well written. A great Halloween read!

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted September 28, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

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