Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

Rating:
Summary: Unforgettable
Review: Stiff is the best book I've read this year. I picked it up half-heartedly, as something I thought I should read to make myself more comfortable thinking about death. But, I was wary. I thought that I would have a hard time reading about such a morbid topic. But, I was absolutely delighted by the book. Don't get me wrong -- parts are troubling, and I don't recommend eating a snack while reading it. But, Roach covers the topic brilliantly, with chapters dedicated to the history of the use of cadavers in medicine, the study of human decomposition, the use of cadavers in car crash tests, and the use of the guillotine as a means of execution in revolutionary France. The information she presents is riveting, and as a former travel writer, she's not afraid to go the distance, all the way to China in one case, to investigate. Moreover, I'm not sure how she does it, but Roach actually injects humor into her tale. How can she treat the subject with such respect and yet make it a laugh out loud, funny read? You'll have to read it to find out. You won't be disappointed. This is investigative journalism at its best.

Rating:
Summary: Textbooks should be like this.
Review: This is a book about the factual side of an emotional subject and it is beautifully done. I zoomed through it faster than fiction. And boy was I the highlight of several cocktail parties, as I tossed out descriptions of going through a windshield. A great book.

Rating:
Summary: thoroughly entertaining
Review: This was one of the most innovative nonfiction subjects I ever saw turned into a book, and I really enjoyed it. Roach goes above and beyond the standard post-life activities you might expect, touching on everything from the particulars of organ donation to the processing and eating of mummies -- with a few pit-stops through topics such as corpse-derived medicines, embalming, decomposition and test-crash-dead-people.

The book is composed with a deft touch that skillfully works humor into even the most humorless subject, yet never manages to topple into disrespect for the dearly departed.

As someone who writes ghost stories (which often begin as murder mysteries), I'm definitely planning to keep this around for reference purposes. It's good stuff ... but you may want to think twice before reading some chapters over lunch.

Rating:
Summary: Great fun and VERY different
Review: When you look up the term "Off the beaten path" in the dictionary, you will, without a doubt, see a copy of this book. Who would have thought a book on this subject would have been successful? Stiff is, without a doubt, a bizarre yet remarkably engaging read: not surprising since Roach is such a terrific writer. The author possesses the ingenious ability of being able to make digestible the most repulsive of subjects. Curious, yet not callus, Roach manages to ask-and yes, answer-questions often best left unspoken (keeping in mind public decorum). Furthermore, Roach is hilarious. If you like weird, funny, and not-for-the squeamish books, try "The Bark of the Dogwood--a tour of southern homes and gardens. Equally parts funny, morose, insightful, and well-done.

Rating:
Summary: All kinds of fun - believe it or not
Review: Yep, this is a fun book about dead bodies. That may seem paradoxical, but I encourage you to give this one a try if that sounds like an interesting combination to you.

Roach never crosses the line into being offensive or disrespectful, but manages to create a truly informative book that shows you around a world most of us never think about while keeping things very light. The book is a winner on the novelty factor alone, but throw in great writing and Roach's offbeat sense of humor and you have what I consider to be one of the standout books of recent memory.

Rating:
Summary: Curious Humor of a Cadaver Author
Review: Yes, yes, it's an entertaining and engrossing read on the curious lives of cadavers. While reading this book, I realized the reason I haven't really thought about what happens to my body when I die was, well, I didn't want to think about the messiness of decomposition, cremation, or however way my body will be disposed of.

Mary Roach tackles the science of death, and in the telling makes it seem remarkable and yet a completely natural thing. Her detailing and investigation of this complex subject matter are impressive - from corpse donation to help further scientific research on death and saving lives to yes, human dumplings.

Equally absorbing is the exploration of the question of when does life end, where does the soul reside in the body, the politics of different scientific experiments on the deceased (where the family has no idea how the dearly departed's body is being used and is better off for it), and the evolution and acceptance of new methods of corpse disposal.

For these reasons and for her hilarious recounting of grave robbery in the name of science and easy work, I could begrudgingly give this book four stars. But because I had read much about Roach's marvelous sense of humor and respect for her subjects, I expected to laugh out loud while admiring her deft touch. Who doesn't appreciate a sense of humor served with discussions of cadavers? Well, I did laugh once or twice, smile a few times, but by the end I was consistently rolling my eyes back...and hard...in exasperation. I could have done with far fewer "dry wit" and "pithy observations." By Chapter 5, Roach's narrative started to sound like she was writing (and running out of) material for her stand-up comic routine. Enough with the droll one liners!

I've recommended this book to friends and family, but have already forewarned them - and not just about the graphic nature of the content.