Rating: 
Summary: Coroners & Big City Politicians are on Different Pages
Review: "Unnatural Death: Confessions of a Medical Examiner" by Michael M. Baden, MD and Judith Adler Hennessee, ISBN 0-8041-05999-5 (p/b), Ivy Books 1989 - is a 215 page disclosure by a seasoned pathologist and NYC medical examiner (25 years & Chief ME 1978-79). It is a well-written and indexed (7 pages) mind-probing study of many high-profile cases of unnatural deaths (suicides, homicides, & accidents) & some unsual but natural ones. Dr. Baden discusses some of the little known but extremely significant political intrigues he encountered, revealing facts known only to certain medical examiners, DA's, politicians in high office and prominent family members. The introduction describes the pseudo-victimization "abduction" of T. Brawley (1987) and 12 chapters follow with Chap. 1 detailing Dr. Baden's selection to head forensic pathology for the 1977 Congressional Select Committee on Assassination (JFK); Chap. 2 his studies at Bellevue; Chap. 3 some notes on Elvis Presely, the Nurses Perez & Narcisco Pavulon deaths prosecution blocked by Imelda Marcos, and the ricin death of Markov (1978); Chap. 4 with concise notes on history of coroner system and Chap. 5 details Baden's confrontations with NYC Mayor Koch, Manhattan DA Robert Morganthau, and Health Commissioner Ferrer over handling of the David Levine, Willie Welch, Robert Soman, and Nelson Rockefeller cases, to mention a few. Chapters that follow are lucrative and revealing of forensic science at its best and politics at its worst. The accusations against Claus von Bulow of twice trying to murder his wife "Sunny" by insulin injections revealed a frightening tribunal jungle of medical & legal specialists whose main concern was (evidently) to thwart possible perceived malpractice charges. For unrevealed & appalling details of the 'preppy murder' of Jennifer Levin by Robert Chambers (discussed on the Larry King show Aug. 26, 2002) look in this book. This is a no holds barred book, a must read for those who "thought they knew what happened" really didn't happen and vice versa.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book!!!
Review: A great book!! One of my all time favorites that easily explains complex situations and extremely compilcated medical jargon into a everyday conversation!! Great stories!! Mr Baden has a gift for allowing the reader to understand the trumatic events and terrible crimes we human- beings inflict on one another! Understanding the forensics science involved can surely overwhelm the common individual but not in this book as we learn from Mr. Baden! I would not hesitate to both endorse and encourage any one to read this book for themselves and not walk away disappointed! In my 9 years in L.A.County Cornoner's Office as a volunteer Forensic tech, I am more than happy to ask that Mr. Baden write at least another book to follow up this masterpiece!!
Rating: 
Summary: can you say egomaniac?
Review: all kidding aside, "Unnatural Death" was merely a forum for the author to air his opinions about others in the same field as well as try to exonerate himself from accusations he feels were made without just cause. the cases he chose to profile weren't that interesting & seemed to contain tidbits I didn't need yet lacked information I was hoping to glean. The writer seems to do a lot better a reporting the straight facts - how to ascertain time of death, blood pooling, blood colors, etc. rather than conveying his own experiences. I found "Dead Men Do Tell Tales" by William R. Maples to be a more interesting read with historical cases (the Romanov's of Russia, a dead president & a Spanish conquistador) plus Dr. Maples' personality doesn't get in the way of his storytelling.
Rating: 
Summary: Good read for crime buffs
Review: Although not all of Baden's material is of equal interest -- the JFK section is eye-glazing, surprisingly -- there is so much inside information packed within these pages, that armchair criminologists are bound to come away happy. Useful tips on how medical examiners do their work.
Rating:
Summary: Completely Compelling,.. I COULD NOT put it down!
Review: As a member of the funeral profession, I have an interest in causes of death, (both natural and un-natural), and this book is extremely insightful. A definite must read for anyone in the business of death and dying. Scientific enough to be useful,... but not a boring text book !
Rating:
Summary: This book either is deliberate disinformation or careless.
Review: Because I'm one of the people mentioned in this book, I can testify to its inaccuracies -- at least in the chapter about my husband Major Hugh Fanning, USMC and myself. The misspelling of my name is the least of my complaints. Not a single bit of information given is true. The book is a waste of money, in my opinion, because if the info on us is fraudulent, how can I trust the rest of it?
Rating:
Summary: 100% more information, so don't bother with Dead Reckoning
Review: Confessions of a Medical Examiner had some good tidbits of information- with a lot of it repeated. I would say if your just curious read it, if you have a bit of knowledge on the subject (or have watched more than 3 forensic shows) don't bother. I did enjoy it enough to pay for the hardcover of his newest--Dead Reckoning.......(But you'll have to read that review- I was not impressed AT ALL) Confessions has a good baseline of forensic information.
Rating:
Summary: "A place where death delights to help the living"
Review: Dr. Baden was the chief medical examiner of New York City from 1960 to 1985, and "Unnatural Death" is a fascinating look at some of the cases he investigated. Bronx-born and Brooklyn-bred, Dr. Baden doesn't shy away from a fight whether it was with the Mayor of New York City who fired him (Dr. Baden eventually sued Mayor Koch for wrongful dismissal and won his case) or the Warren Commission, which was charged with the investigation of President Kennedy's assassination.
Baden refers to himself as "a witness to the dead," and treats the bodies on his autopsy table with what can only be described as reverence. Forensic Pathology is both a fascinating profession and a sacred calling for him. During his forty-year career he has conducted more than 20,000 autopsies and has served as an expert witness on homicide cases that include Nicole Brown Simpson, the last alleged victim of Albert DeSalvo, "Sunny" von Bulow (included in this book), John Belushi (also in this book), and JonBenet Ramsey.
Also there are those wonderful political brawls, the foremost of which in "Unnatural Death" is Dr. Baden's tussle with various government officials involved in the investigation of the deaths during the Attica prison riot. In a way, I wish there was less politics and more science in this autobiography, but Dr. Baden correctly points out that reforming the 'politics of death' and raising the status of MEs is one of his most important goals. This book also highlights cases and anecdotes where the emphasis is on detection and forensic science rather than politics. One of the most gruesome involved a New York City ME who kept a tray of feet that had been cut off at the ankles. He called it the 'Centipede' and used his display to convince the Federal Aviation Agency that airplane seats needed to be redesigned. People's feet were being cut off during airplane crashes by the bar under their seat that was supposed to keep suitcases from sliding backwards. The seats were redesigned, thanks in part to the 'Centipede.' One of the saddest, most inexplicable (in psychological terms, at least) cases in "Unnatural Death" is Dr. Baden's investigation of the deaths of Mary Beth and Joseph Tinning's nine children in upstate New York. One aspect of this case that is not widely known is Mary Beth's attempted poisoning of her husband (she was having an affair with a minister at the time). According to Dr. Baden, Joseph Tinning "did not feel that his marriage had been destroyed by this attempt to annihilate him." Nor, evidently by the deaths of his nine children. Readers will definitely gain an appreciation of the value of forensic pathology from this book, which I believe was Dr. Baden's ultimate goal in writing it.
Rating:
Summary: Unatural death
Review: I believe that it gives the reader a chance to get to see what really happens to your body after a person dies. I know that it very interesting to be able to read all of these different stories, and to be able to read the truth. Some fictional writers blow eveything out of proportion,and it scares the witts out of people. I on the other hand to get down to the bare facts. I also like reading fiction novels. Only when it comes to something that you know does not happen in real life.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Reading
Review: I could not put this book down. I read it in a 24 hour period. It is absolutely fascinating. A great one for crime and science buffs.
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