Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadaviers

Author: Mary Roach

Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company (2003)

ISBN: 0393324826

pages: 304

genre: popular nonfiction

4.5 (out of 5) STARS

Annotation: A look inside the world of forensics examines the use of human cadavers in a wide range of endeavors, including research into new surgical procedures, space exploration, and a Tennessee human decay research facility.

Summary: Stiff is an oddly compelling, often hilarious exploration of the strange lives of our bodies postmortem. For two thousand years, cadavers—some willingly, some unwittingly—have been involved in science's boldest strides and weirdest undertakings. They've tested France's first guillotines, ridden the NASA Space Shuttle, been crucified in a Parisian laboratory to test the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin, and helped solve the mystery of TWA Flight 800. For every new surgical procedure, from heart transplants to gender reassignment surgery, cadavers have been there alongside surgeons, making history in their quiet way.

In this fascinating, ennobling account, Mary Roach visits the good deeds of cadavers over the centuries—from the anatomy labs and human-sourced pharmacies of medieval and nineteenth-century Europe to a human decay research facility in Tennessee, to a plastic surgery practice lab, to a Scandinavian funeral directors' conference on human composting. In her droll, inimitable voice, Roach tells the engrossing story of our bodies when we are no longer with them. (www.goodreads.com)

Evaluation: This was a wonderful book! Nonfiction takes me a lot longer to read than a novel but I still enjoyed this book. The topic was also a bit graphic but I thought Roach handled it with wit and respect. Overall, a very splendid read. Please see my post with my responses to the discussion questions which will give more of my opinions of this book.

Read-a-likes:

Bonk by Mary Roach

Still Life: Adventures in Taxidermy by Melissa Milgrom

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

The Family That Could Not Sleep: A Medical Mystery by D.T. Max