Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
by Mary Roach
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Book Reviews of Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
Book Review: Deadly Funny
Summary: 5 Stars
Probably the only book of it's kind. Firstly, the theme - Cadavers - is understandbly not common. Next, a non-fiction book geared towards the common lay reader is most likely not around. Reading about cadavers may seem grim and deathly and geared towards the "whacky" (or at the worst sicko)minds. But, WAIT!! Thats simply not the case with "Stiff". This is an awesome read.
Each of the twelve chapters are different and equally engaging. Now, you may ask what's engaging in reading about Cadavers or dead people? Well, there's more to dead people than ghosts or the average nighttime murder mystery. Seriously, this book exposed me to the many "choices" which awaits the dead and more
importantly, how useful the dead turn out to be to the society. Don't crib! You are an unwitting beneficiary of the dead too. The Safety mechanisms in your car were most likely improved by testing on a cadaver; The advances in neuro science can be attributed to some of the xperiments on the dead; the growing cosmetic-surgery industry practices on cadavers.. the list is simply long.
Back to the book - it doesn't adopt any posture. Rather, this is a witty read. The Author is remarkably talented and has a way with words.
Do not miss this one!!
Book Review: Funny and shocking at the same time.
Summary: 4 Stars
Those curious or brave enough to find out what really happens to a body that is donated to the scientific community can do so with this book. Dissection in medical anatomy classes is about the least bizarre of the purposes that science has devised. Mostly dealing with such contemporary uses such as stand-ins for crash-test dummies, Roach also pulls together considerable historical and background information. Bodies are divided into types, including "beating-heart" cadavers for organ transplants, and individual parts-leg and foot segments, for example, are used to test footwear for the effects of exploding land mines. Just as the non-emotional, fact-by-fact descriptions may be getting to be a bit too much, Roach swings into macabre humour. In some cases, it is needed to restore perspective or aid in understanding both what the procedures are accomplishing and what it is hoped will be learned. In all cases, the comic relief welcomes readers back to the world of the living. For those who are interested in the fields of medicine or forensics and are aware of some of the procedures, this book makes excellent reading.I nearly couldn't put this book down, it was so interesting! The author is pretty funny, too. Great read! If this is your thing, check it out!Book Review: Entertaining, gross, and enlightening
Summary: 4 Stars
I heard this book reviewed on NPR awhile ago and just recently saw it again. It seemed strange enough (and I like strange things) so I decided to read it. I was pleasantly surprised and unpleasantly surprised at the same time. Pleasantly so because there is some very interesting things about the history of death (I guess you could call it) that I did not know. Mary Roach seems very well researched and the fact that she undertook (no pun intended) many of the expeditions herself to find out first-hand about her questions was very impressive. Many reviewers seem to feel she is not getting her information from reliable sources. While I can't vouch for that I can say that the book is still interesting and worth reading. I was unpleasantly surprised because she leaves nothing to the imagination when describing the various cadavers she encounters. Even though it was stomach-turning, I found it essential to her book.
Finally, I really enjoyed the chapter describing the different ways in which we can be remembered after we die. Whether it be burial, cremation, or some new up-and-coming techniques (don't want to spoil (sorry) for you!).
This is not a must-read, but it is definitely interesting and all who read will learn something.
Book Review: 'Stiff' is a very lively read
Summary: 5 Stars
Composed almost as an amalgamation of magazine articles, 'Stiff' is an informative journey into what each one of us will have to face: Death.
Well, not exactly. Stiff pertains to what happens after you die and not necessarily what causes death (thought the chapter on plane crashes is a little too real for my taste).
And, to that extent, it is a great book. Mary Roach is both tactful and hilarious in her depiction of the dead. Her assiduous research helps to strengthen an already stellar bit of writing. Without her constant data, one might find her style tongue-in-cheek or flippant.
To reiterate her point, there is nothing funny about death, and, really, neither is there anything truly funny about cadavers. But the cover says it best: what happens to us after we die is curious. If you can suspend your abhorrence that far, then Mary Roach will have you hooked after that.
I'll admit, reading a book on 'decedents' is a trifle morbid, but it is also enthralling, especially since it is so well-written. The only shortcoming in the book is that it does not offer solace to those who want to find some kind of comfort in death.
But, then again, that's not really the author's job here.
Book Review: Slightly Disturbing, Utterly Fascinating
Summary: 5 Stars
As others have said in many other reviews, this book is both respectful AND funny. The historical sections are excellent and highly amusing. The various sections on research cadavers participate in - she covers medical cadavers used for teaching, crash-test cadavers, military-research, traditional and non-traditional body disposal a la funerals, CSI-type research, organ and other transplants, and more - were interesting, particularly when they dealt with our FEELINGS about bodies, research, and ethics. (Shooting cadavers is mostly okay; exploding them with bombs is not.)
The book gave me a great deal to think about; as a professional who deals with end-of-life planning, I felt it helped me understand death better and more fully and think more clearly about it and about the emotions people attach to death.
Parts of this book are not for the weak-stomached. The two parts I found most disturbing were the descriptions of the forensic lab bodies decomposing for research purposes, and the talk about the victims on Flight 800. The latter was not graphic; it was merely the most upsetting because it was not so much about cadavers as individuals whose lives were cut short. The former was just fairly disgusting.