Michael Barry leaves no (head) stone unturned in his great new book, Final Resting Places, Orange County’s Dead & Famous. Meticulously researched, this volume from my Schiffer Books Stable-Mate presents not just the best known graves in Orange County, but many historic figures going back centuries that may now be forgotten if not for books like this to light the way and illuminate history. To those of us who may be Los Angelenos or East Coast transplants, you will be surprised to learn how much real history is to be found behind the Orange Curtain and six feet under. Michael Barry brings it all too vivid life in 224 well laid out pages, touring the reader through 24 area cemeteries, public and private, historic and modern, introducing us to over 200 permanent residents who shaped our state, our country and our culture. This book is a must have for any serious grave hunter and should be included in any good research library. It will be a welcome addition to my bookshelves.

Steve Goldstein, Author – LA’s Graveside Companion: Where the VIP’s RIP (Schiffer Publishing, 2009)
www.beneathlosangeles.com

Michael has assembled a terrific guidebook of the final addresses of not just celebrities – but crime and disaster victims as well. The book is nicely assembled, and even if you don’t use it out in “the field”, it’ll make a great read for anyone with an interest in cemeteries. He treats a delicate subject matter with dignity and respect – and keeps it darned interesting as well. Well done.

-Scott Michaels, Owner – Dearly Departed Tours, Los Angeles
www.findadeath.com/

I think this is a book many people will find interesting. It’s good to have if you live in Orange County, if you want to take a tour of the cemeteries as a tourist, actual or virtual. The beauty of this book is that it can be read cover to cover, you can skip around, or take it out with you as a guidebook.                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

-Jim Cherry, author of The Last Stage (2005), and writer for the “the Doors Examiner.com” for the complete review follow this link http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-21763-The-Doors-Examiner~y2010m2d5-Dead–famous-in-Orange-County

What I personally liked about the book was the attention to detail in describing the cemetery histories of various cemeteries. It was a classy touch how each biographical story gets woven into the next story in many cases. I also enjoyed the biographies on personages I’ve never heard of which included the early settlers, many celebrities from the silent era, and others. There are many things I enjoyed about the book but it’s just too much to add.  

Josh Perry – The Grave Hunting Guru, and for the complete review follow this link http://thegravehuntingguru.wordpress.com/2010/03/17/book-review-final-resting-places-orange-countys-dead-famous/

I love historical trivia and learning about new people and events that I didn’t previously know about. The new book, Final Resting Places:Orange County’s Dead & Famous, by Michael Thomas Barry, does more than just telling me who is buried in our county. The author does an excellent job of highlighting many of the famous personalities, OC founders, politicians, and other special individuals who lived (or were buried) in our county. In short, easy to read narratives, Barry gives a brief overview of over 200 people – some you are familiar with and many you aren’t – but most you will still find interesting. He also does a nice job writing a short summary about each of the county’s public and private cemeteries including a bit of their history and some tips for finding the burial spots of those included in the book. I like the way that the book was set up by cemetery. Barry includes an index at the back so you can locate those he wrote about. The information about each person was nteresting and “enough” for a quick read and a good overview – serving as a delicious “appetizer” to get me interested in learning more. I enjoyed the book and look forward to doing some additional research on a variety of people who I didn’t know before reading this. Final Resting Places: Orange County’s Dead & Famous is published by Schiffer and is available at schifferbooks.com and from some local book sellers.               

-Guy Ball,  The Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society, April 2010

Orange County Register article – January 26, 2010 http://www.ocregister.com/articles/barry-230882-book-buried.html?pic=1

Review – The Doors Examiner by Jim Cherry January 26, 2010 http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-21763-The-Doors-Examiner~y2010m1d26-Pam-Courson-in-Dead-and-Famous

Orange County Register February 1, 2010 http://www.ocregister.com/news/book-231958-barry-county.html

OCnewschannel.com February 3, 2010 http://ocnewschannel.com/state-union-oc-reaction-free-krispy-kreme-donuts-michael-thomas-barry-ghost-writer-jan-28-2010/

Lisa Burks – Adventures in Grave Hunting blog, March 19, 2010 http://lisaburks.typepad.com/gravehunting/2010/03/bang-the-drum-fiercely-sandy-west-19592006.html

USA Today February 2, 2010, New York Post – February 2, 2010, The Atlanta Journal Constitution February 4, 2010, Newsday – February 7, 2010