Rating: 
Summary: good writing, material lacking
Review: Their are a number of other customer reviews so I will keep mine short. This is an OK book. But just OK. I find the writing very good, but the content is not as interesting as many others. It is not quite what I was looking for. I suppose the world of the forensic anthropologist just isn't as interesting to me as the forensic pathologist or criminal investigator. A good portion of the most interesting material seems to have been related to the author from other sources in the investigation. My only other comment is though I do enjoy the writing, I must say the Dr. might enjoy a very high opinion of himself - and it shows.
Rating: 
Summary: Have plenty of time cause you won't be able to put it down
Review: Every once in a while I come across a book that I can't put down and curse myself when sleep overtakes me and interrupts my read! This was such a book. A fascinating man talking about a fascinating subject. Billy Maples is the best forensic anthropologist alive and he also has a gift for writing and conveying his thoughts in a clear and entertaining manner. This subject won't interest everyone and many will be put off by some of the gory details, but Maples doesn't glamorize or exaggerate, he tells it like it is. Eventually, we will all come face to face with the subject of this book, and learning about what happens is an eye opening education.
Rating:
Summary: good and interesting read
Review: Interesting reading, as we delve into the mysterious of the past and of recent crimes. The author didn't strike me as egotistical at all. I mean, how many people can tolerate the smell of a decaying body? Even if it's a small animal, let alone a human corpse? Not many. So he's trying to tell the reader that it's a prerequisite of the job, what's the problem with that? Yes, he must be egotistical, since he thinks his profession and accomplishments and the cases he's worked on are important enough to write about. I wouldn't necessarily "recommend" this book, without a warning on it's gruesome content, but otherwise it's entertaining and fascinating reading.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating
Review: This is a superb book and I would recommend it to anyone whether or not they arew involved with forensics or anthropology. It has to be said that it is gruesome at times and is not for the squeamish.I'm certainly glad that I don't do his job. Some of the detail is very interesting. Do you know what really happens after the coffin tastefully exits at a cremation? One little error that does not detract in the slightest from the high quality. When he examined Pizzaro's remains he describes Lima as being at a high altitude and having very dry air. While it is true that it almost never rains in Lima (Once in the last nine years) the hunidity is frequently very high and Lima is at sea level. When the next edition is produced the author might like to correct this.
Rating:
Summary: Dr. Maples provides medicine for victims, too
Review: As a victim's sibling in one of Dr. Maples' cases, I know first-hand what excellent work he did to make sure the case was solved based on forensic evidence, not assumptions. The book also helps survivors understand the hard work it takes to learn the truth-- and ease one's mind. Dr. Maples' legacy is that he helped families cope with tragedy, and his book is good medicine for the soul. It was an honor to know him.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent read for any level of interest in forensics
Review: I was unable to put the book down until I finished it. Dr. Maples provides the reader (novice or intermediate) with enough background to understand what is involved in reconstructing a persons death, while still making the reader marvel as to how ingenious his technique is.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing!
Review: This is one of the most interesting and captivating novels I have ever read. It's a book that is well worth reading, and I highly recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: VERY INFORMATIVE AND DETAILED
Review: THIS BOOK WAS VERY WELL WRITTEN. THE AUTHOR'S KNOWLEDGE AND INSIGHTS OF THIS INTERESTING SCIENCE IS EDUCATIONAL AS WELL AS ENTERTAINING. AS FOR HIS MANNER OF WRITTING, I THOUGHT HE WAS WONDERFUL. A LITTLE "HUMAN" TOUCH TO THE STORY IS REFRESHING WHEN YOU DEAL WITH DEATH ALL THE TIME.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining and accurate story of Forensic Anthro.
Review: Dr. Maples and his family were friends of my parents when I was growing up. I remember his showing us a small amount of the reconstruction of an ancient skull he'd done and describing the process. Reading this book is the adult version of that. These are scientific, accurate, and very entertaining detective stories. For those that think science is boring, this book refutes them easily. As a scientist, Dr. Maples uses words carefully and accurately to tell his story. After all, not only is this science, it's legal proceedings too.
Rating: 
Summary: Stilted writing style makes this a disappointment
Review: I have to say that I was quite disappointed with this book. The author has quite a strange style of writing, and it was so annoying that it detracted from the book to a great degree. I enjoy learning about forensic anthropology, but this book was not a good choice. 'Too many strange departures between the cases covered.
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