Book Review. "The author sets himself to the herculean task of 'naming' the dead and thereby bring the mass into a more manageable perspective so that we might judge where we are and, more important, where mankind is headed unless we somehow gain control over our death-dealing propensities and predispositions." Gordon states that though Elliot's attempt to "name" the dead is impossible, it was well worth the attempt because the result of his efforts is a book with a message that will not be easy to forget.