Helpful Score: 12
THIS ISN'T FOR EVERYONE
After long admiring Ms. Roach's contributions to Reader's Digest, I read this book. Although the subject matter is unusual and might well be distasteful to many, she handles it with dignity and, if you can believe, much good humor. If you've ever been curious about all things dead, this is the book for you. Consider it the ultimate recycling idea. Chances are you'll never attend another wake without thinking about the stories in this book.
After long admiring Ms. Roach's contributions to Reader's Digest, I read this book. Although the subject matter is unusual and might well be distasteful to many, she handles it with dignity and, if you can believe, much good humor. If you've ever been curious about all things dead, this is the book for you. Consider it the ultimate recycling idea. Chances are you'll never attend another wake without thinking about the stories in this book.
Jennifer W. (GeniusJen) reviewed Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers on + 5322 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 12
I rarely read non-fiction, but the cover of this book grabbed me. Boy, am I glad I picked it up! Filled with tons of facts about the uses of cadavers, many of which I'd never considered (crash-test dummies, police training, fertilizer), the book's footnotes are not to be missed.
Terrifically funny without being irreverent, Mary Roach has written an informative book that got me thinking about what I want done with my body after death.
Not to mention the best line, ever, in a book: "Well, do me chicken."
Terrifically funny without being irreverent, Mary Roach has written an informative book that got me thinking about what I want done with my body after death.
Not to mention the best line, ever, in a book: "Well, do me chicken."
Helpful Score: 7
I bought this book (PB & HC) for a fellow member who had wish-listed it, and the poster backed out on her (said she wanted to keep it, after posting it). In the interim the member acquired another copy - so here I was with 2 bindings of a book I would probably NOT have requested for myself! What to do? I did the only logical thing - I read it myself!This book is without a doubt one of the most obscure and innovative non-fiction subjects you could ever imagine being turned into a book. Mary Roach respectfully shows us all a lighter side of death. She goes above-and-beyond the normal fare of post-life activities that you might expect, and gives you new insights into things like organ donation, processing and eating of mummies in ancient China! Along the way, she pulls over and gives you glimpses of dead-derived medicines, embalming, decomposition, and the use of test crash cadavers. This is a book about the factual side of an emotional subject and I think it is superbly done! How she can work humor into an otherwise humorless area is beyond me! She elegantly attains a very difficult and fine-lined balance between respect, history, and humor in a book about a very thorny issue. Be very cautious when friends ask you "read any good books lately" - your answer may get you some strange looks in return! Mary Roach has written something that will make you scratch your head, smile, frown, wrinkle your nose, read with your mouth open, and reach a level of understanding of what happens after death that you wouldn't have achieved on your own! You'll want to share this book with your friends - well, you're my friends (so to speak), so I'm sharing it with YOU! READ IT - you'll thank me for it!
Helpful Score: 7
When the living stop living, what happens to what's left over? From funerary procedures, to medical teaching aid, to odd science experiments done in the name of education, to preventing future deaths, to being eaten... this pop-sci journey is a quick read, easy to understand, and takes away the mysteries and ignorances of what's done with cadavers.
Helpful Score: 6
Fantastic look at a topic not "fit for polite conversation"...what happens to our bodies after death. The author's humorous (but not disrespectful) tone makes the material, although off-putting, engaging. I thought it was fascinating and funny!
Helpful Score: 6
Oh, I enjoyed this book, and now want to will by body somewhere fun. Although I expected more of the book to be about where cadavers go, most of the book was about how different body parts have been used for different tests over time, including trying to prove if the Shroud of Turin was real, and different ways to inter oneself after passing. It made me be very thankful to those who have willed their bodies in the past for the safety changes that have been made because of them.
Helpful Score: 5
This was an excellent, fascinating book, though clearly not for everyone. As the summary describes, it is a book about the many potential uses for our bodies once we die. Mary Roach writes with both respect for the bodies and their previous owners and a great deal of humor. It's a fantastic combination that kept me coming back for more, and got me through some of the more graphic descriptions and unpleasant mental images. I would definitely recommend this book to all who are interested in science or even mildly curious about the lives of cadavers.
Megan (bananapancakes) -
Helpful Score: 4
Explains exactly what happens to your body after you die: past history of cannibalism, dissection, autopsies, organ donation, life-ending trauma caused in airplane and car rashes, burial, cremation, and up-and-coming means of body disposal. Definitely not things you talk about at the dinner table, but I found it very interesting. She explores the history behind a lot of urban myths surrounding the dead as well. I liked how she broke the book up into shorter readable chapters.
Helpful Score: 3
I really liked the writing style of this author. She was funny and down to earth, even when writing about cadavers! Very informative.
Helpful Score: 3
THIS ISN'T FOR EVERYONE
After long admiring Ms. Roach's contributions to Reader's Digest, I read this book. Although the subject matter is unusual and might well be distasteful to many, she handles it with dignity and, if you can believe, much good humor. If you've ever been curious about all things dead, this is the book for you. Consider it the ultimate recycling idea. Chances are you'll never attend another wake without thinking about the stories in this book.
After long admiring Ms. Roach's contributions to Reader's Digest, I read this book. Although the subject matter is unusual and might well be distasteful to many, she handles it with dignity and, if you can believe, much good humor. If you've ever been curious about all things dead, this is the book for you. Consider it the ultimate recycling idea. Chances are you'll never attend another wake without thinking about the stories in this book.
Helpful Score: 3
Mary Roach shows us a lighter side of death, with some humor. She respects the human body after death, as she would during life. I loved reading this book and cant wait to read more of her books.
I found it to be very interesting, esp. since I am in the medical field.
I found it to be very interesting, esp. since I am in the medical field.
Helpful Score: 2
I found this book to be very enlightening. Not gruesome to read at all. I truly learned a great deal about all facets of the "life of a cadaver" when it is donated to science. I recommend this book to all who wish to be well read.
Helpful Score: 2
I bought this book (PB & HC) for a fellow member who had wish-listed it, and the poster backed out on her (said she wanted to keep it, after posting it). In the interim the member acquired another copy - so here I was with 2 bindings of a book I would probably NOT have requested for myself! What to do? I did the only logical thing - I read it myself!This book is without a doubt one of the most obscure and innovative non-fiction subjects you could ever imagine being turned into a book. Mary Roach respectfully shows us all a lighter side of death. She goes above-and-beyond the normal fare of post-life activities that you might expect, and gives you new insights into things like organ donation, processing and eating of mummies in ancient China! Along the way, she pulls over and gives you glimpses of dead-derived medicines, embalming, decomposition, and the use of test crash cadavers. This is a book about the factual side of an emotional subject and I think it is superbly done! How she can work humor into an otherwise humorless area is beyond me! She elegantly attains a very difficult and fine-lined balance between respect, history, and humor in a book about a very thorny issue. Be very cautious when friends ask you "read any good books lately" - your answer may get you some strange looks in return! Mary Roach has written something that will make you scratch your head, smile, frown, wrinkle your nose, read with your mouth open, and reach a level of understanding of what happens after death that you wouldn't have achieved on your own! You'll want to share this book with your friends - well, you're my friends (so to speak), so I'm sharing it with YOU! READ IT - you'll thank me for it!
Helpful Score: 2
if you like "dead like me" or "six feet under" or "quincy"... you will love this quirky set of essays on human cadavers... very different... really worth it
Lauri E. (Luluette) -
Helpful Score: 2
I read this book for a book club, and I loved it! I wasn't squicked out at all - I think it was written very well. It was just graphic enough to illustrate the situations, but not over the top or out for cheap thrills. Some of our group loved it, some hated it, but everyone has a lot to say about it. Very thought provoking and HUGELY educational.
Helpful Score: 2
The author tackles a subject we are all curious about but too afraid to ask in polite company. She tells us in detail what happens when we die and some of the interesting jobs we can get AFTER we die. She does it with any easy readable style that even brings laughs to the reader at times. In a strange way the book is enjoyable even to those who never felt the need to know what happens when we die or what is done with bodies that are willed to medical schools and car companies for crash dummy tests. Now's your chance to find out.
Helpful Score: 1
What a fascinating book. After having this book sit on my shelf literally for years, I finally picked it up. Although I had been told by others that this was a great book, I was put off by the thought of reading about cadaver bodies, but once I started I never looked back.
When someone would see me reading this book, they would often crinkle their noses and ask, "What could you possibly be reading about? Is it just about medical school cadavers?" And I would proudly say, "No! Not at all! You have no idea what I a human body can do after it's dead!"
I am not sure how Mary Roach made a book about bodies so funny, without being distasteful, but she succeeded with flying colors.
When someone would see me reading this book, they would often crinkle their noses and ask, "What could you possibly be reading about? Is it just about medical school cadavers?" And I would proudly say, "No! Not at all! You have no idea what I a human body can do after it's dead!"
I am not sure how Mary Roach made a book about bodies so funny, without being distasteful, but she succeeded with flying colors.
Miranda F. (psychprisondoc) reviewed Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers on + 2 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This is a very interesting book! It is well written and quite funny.
Brant S. (scarybinary) reviewed Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers on + 10 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Very entertaining and interesting. Ms. Roach approaches the topic of cadavers with a good sense of humor, yet respectfully. Throughout the chapters you'll learn how cadavers are used in crash safety tests, plastic surgery classes, science experiments, and so on. There are a few parts the weak-stomached may want to skip, but it never gets too horribly gross and overall the book is very well written.
Helpful Score: 1
This is a rather unique book about a subject few of us humans pause to consider. What happens to the bodies that are donated to science, a teaching hospital or even the Body Farm (of the University of Tennessee)? Having read 8 books by Dr. Bass (of the Body Farm), I sort of knew what would be discussed. However, Mary Roach has a way about discussing a subject that takes the grimness (and some of the gruesomeness) out by injecting her lessons with a lively wit.
One of the things I came away with was an understanding that cadavers are treated with the greatest care and even reverence. Roach mentions the 3-hour service that gross anatomy students attend (by choice, not requirement) to thank their body for the lessons they have learned over the course of the year. Students have even written poetry and recited it at the meeting; with not a dry eye left in the building. Interestingly enough, Roach indicates that some medical schools are phasing out cadaver study because digitizing has made such inroads in allowing medical students to see everything through slides and film.
Roach talks about the history of gathering cadavers for scientific study. During periods of poverty (hundreds of years ago), people were known to dig up a relative and sell it to a medical school. Roach talks about the wide range of uses for which the cadavers can help. She also mentioned that there are some circumstances in which cadavers are not used because family members might feel the bodies were not treated respectfully enough.
Make no mistake, some portions of this book are not for the faint-of-heart. The author uses a light and humorous touch but some of the chapters are a bit graphic. One of those (for me) was about how doctors, in past generations and locales, made sure that a person was really dead.
One of the things I came away with was an understanding that cadavers are treated with the greatest care and even reverence. Roach mentions the 3-hour service that gross anatomy students attend (by choice, not requirement) to thank their body for the lessons they have learned over the course of the year. Students have even written poetry and recited it at the meeting; with not a dry eye left in the building. Interestingly enough, Roach indicates that some medical schools are phasing out cadaver study because digitizing has made such inroads in allowing medical students to see everything through slides and film.
Roach talks about the history of gathering cadavers for scientific study. During periods of poverty (hundreds of years ago), people were known to dig up a relative and sell it to a medical school. Roach talks about the wide range of uses for which the cadavers can help. She also mentioned that there are some circumstances in which cadavers are not used because family members might feel the bodies were not treated respectfully enough.
Make no mistake, some portions of this book are not for the faint-of-heart. The author uses a light and humorous touch but some of the chapters are a bit graphic. One of those (for me) was about how doctors, in past generations and locales, made sure that a person was really dead.
Helpful Score: 1
Definitely not for the squeamish! Interesting and funny reading on what cadaver are used for.
Helpful Score: 1
Fascinating. I stayed up all night to finish it.
Helpful Score: 1
Before getting this book, I read a couple of great reviews. They were all right on the money. Stiff by Mary Roach is an engaging read about what happens to human cadavers. Mary Roach takes the reader through the testing of bullets on cadavers for the government, how important it is to donate your body after death,why it is important for medical students to work on human cadavers, experiments that were done on the dead for the sake of religion... Mary Roach is such a great writer and makes every chapter a chapter of interest. I recommend it to everyone.
Loretta K. (songbird61089) reviewed Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers on + 75 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A wonderful read for the forensic lover.
Angie V. (angiev70) - , reviewed Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers on + 18 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I love Mary Roach's monthly column in Reader's Digest and I loved this book. Well, as much as one can love a book about dead bodies! She has a wonderful sense of humor and she uses it well to discuss what happens to us when we're dead.
Not recommended for the squeamish!
Not recommended for the squeamish!
Helpful Score: 1
Irreverent - yes. Morbid - yes. Enlightening - yes. Hilarious - yes. Disrespectful - no.
I'd like to offer you my copy, but I can't bear to part with it before I read it one more time. So put it on your wish list, my friend. It'll be worth the wait.
I'd like to offer you my copy, but I can't bear to part with it before I read it one more time. So put it on your wish list, my friend. It'll be worth the wait.
Helpful Score: 1
What a cool book! Not for those of you with a weak stomach. Roach gives the behind the scenes perspective of what most of us never even think of...what happens to our bodies after death. She tackles the topic from every angle and leaves no grave unturned!
Helpful Score: 1
I read this book before I started nursing school, basically to see if it was possible to gross me out with this type of information. Her writing is splendid -- funny and educational at the same time. It's amazing what happens to cadavers. I can't tell you ... you really have to read it for yourself. It may help you to decide what to do after you leave your body!
Helpful Score: 1
I normally don't read non-fiction but I saw Mary Roach's name and said, what the heck?
Extremely, beyond my expectations well written. She writes it with dignity and makes the people (who work with cadavers) honorable. I never have been more fascinated with a subject such as I am now with the body farm. I'm reading the Body Farm and will keep reading more non-fiction books about this subject. It never gets old or boring because you learn something new everytime!
Extremely, beyond my expectations well written. She writes it with dignity and makes the people (who work with cadavers) honorable. I never have been more fascinated with a subject such as I am now with the body farm. I'm reading the Body Farm and will keep reading more non-fiction books about this subject. It never gets old or boring because you learn something new everytime!
Helpful Score: 1
This was such an odd book. I want to say it was a little sick, but not really. There were parts that got me a little squeamish. But I'll tell ya, I don't wanna be buried somewhere to rot now *laugh*
The last bits with the different things "on the horizon" intrigued me. While they aren't happy things to think about, it did make me think there are other ways to dispose of your body besides rotting or burning. *shudder*
Anyway... good book, I'm glad I read it, I learned some stuff... and now I gotta go read something happy - like Stephen King or something with a happy place *laugh*
The last bits with the different things "on the horizon" intrigued me. While they aren't happy things to think about, it did make me think there are other ways to dispose of your body besides rotting or burning. *shudder*
Anyway... good book, I'm glad I read it, I learned some stuff... and now I gotta go read something happy - like Stephen King or something with a happy place *laugh*
Helpful Score: 1
This is not a gross book, as you might imagine. It is well written, funny, and informative. Sad though, how one can be so very more vital to humanity dead than alive. I recommend this book.
Helpful Score: 1
Entertaining read about what can happen to human cadavers in the name of science.
I found the chapters a bit uneven - for example, I would have liked to learn more about the crucifixion experiments - that chapter was only 10 pages. On the other hand, the author spent 16 pages alone on the innovative way of human composting, advocated by Ms. Wiigh-Masak in Sweden. The chapter about injury analysts discovering the reason for TWA's flight 800 crash, based on what kind of injuries were sustained by the bodies, was very interesting.
After encouraging her readers to donate their bodies and/or organs, the author, however, ultimately cops out by saying that she will let her family make that decision for her.
So ... overall a very interesting book because of the subject matter, but a bit uneven and somewhat lacking in depth.
I found the chapters a bit uneven - for example, I would have liked to learn more about the crucifixion experiments - that chapter was only 10 pages. On the other hand, the author spent 16 pages alone on the innovative way of human composting, advocated by Ms. Wiigh-Masak in Sweden. The chapter about injury analysts discovering the reason for TWA's flight 800 crash, based on what kind of injuries were sustained by the bodies, was very interesting.
After encouraging her readers to donate their bodies and/or organs, the author, however, ultimately cops out by saying that she will let her family make that decision for her.
So ... overall a very interesting book because of the subject matter, but a bit uneven and somewhat lacking in depth.
Helpful Score: 1
Do not read this book if you are in anyway squemish. Do not read this book if you still consider the human body as a person after death. However, if you are the least bit curious about what happens to cadavers, if you are considering "donating your body", if you wish to debunk some of the bizarre stories you have heard about cadavers & science then this is the book for you. I read it in a few days. Truly I found the opening page to be the most disturbing of the entire book. After that I put my science cap on & I was totally engrossed. Thank heaven people do donate their bodies to science though these people may not understand what happens after that. This books last chapter is getting a little dated as there are a few more environmentally sound options for burial since 2003. However, Mary Roach, a former travel writer, travels the world to bring her readers the story of Stiffs. Her research is exhausting but her writing lively & humorous. She is never disrespectful & genuinely suggest all modern humans should be appreciative for the unsung contributions of human cadavers. I, for one, would like to thank all the cadavers who contributed to airbag research & car crash tests.
Helpful Score: 1
Very interesting book! Even though the subject matter is a bit dark, it is presented in a way that makes it easy to swallow.
Cassie S. (cassie86) - , reviewed Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers on + 40 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I couldn't finish the book. It was interesting at first, but I really started to lose interest half-way through. I guess I'm just not as morbid as I thought.
Helpful Score: 1
This book is just plain awesome. Ever wanted to know anything about cadavers? This is the book for you. You will probably even find out way more than you wanted to. You find out what may happen to you if you donate your body to science (it can be way more interesting than a boring old dissection lab, let me tell you); what happens during the embalming process (I'm skipping that myself), cremation, and the future (maybe?) of disposing of cadavers; what can happen in a plane crash; and what exactly a cadaver's role in bullets and bombs really is. If nothing else, the book will force you to think about what you want to happen to your body after you've exited it (Roach has much more tact and respect than I do).
I found this to be absolutely fascinating. If I hadn't have decided weeks before what to do with my body after I'm gone, I probably would have gone for donating it to science after reading this. It can really be put to good use for countless others.
So back to the book--I found it to be really great and chock full of fun facts that my family and co-workers really wished I kept to myself. I don't get grossed out often, but if you have a weak stomach, you may have a few problems getting through this one (trust me, I'm very glad that I decided to skip the cannibalism chapter during lunch and come back long after I had any feeling of food remaining in my tummy). Really great read.
I found this to be absolutely fascinating. If I hadn't have decided weeks before what to do with my body after I'm gone, I probably would have gone for donating it to science after reading this. It can really be put to good use for countless others.
So back to the book--I found it to be really great and chock full of fun facts that my family and co-workers really wished I kept to myself. I don't get grossed out often, but if you have a weak stomach, you may have a few problems getting through this one (trust me, I'm very glad that I decided to skip the cannibalism chapter during lunch and come back long after I had any feeling of food remaining in my tummy). Really great read.
Trista S. (tuckeremma) reviewed Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers on + 37 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Wonderful stories & beautifully woven together-A+++++
Lesa C. (4fabfelines) reviewed Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers on + 112 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
WEll, you'll never look at dead bodies like you previously did. They can be so useful ... who knew..
from crash test dummies to subjects for facelifts dead bodies are so useful.
This is a awesome and well researched book, very amusing on a weird subject. I promise you will not be bored at all.
from crash test dummies to subjects for facelifts dead bodies are so useful.
This is a awesome and well researched book, very amusing on a weird subject. I promise you will not be bored at all.
Helpful Score: 1
While at times Stiff turned my stomach, I found myself wanting more! Not that it was the kind of book that couldn't be put down, but I always found it to pull me back in. Each chapter is based on a different 'life' of the human corpse and it was so interesting to find some of the uses for organ donors (ex:crash test dummies) and the history in which medical cadavers were first brought about.
Most of the details in Stiff are so well written that you have a hard time getting the images out of your head. This being said, I wouldn't recommend this book for people who get light headed at the mention of blood or fecal matter. Needless to say, this is NOT a book to read on your lunch hour!
Most of the details in Stiff are so well written that you have a hard time getting the images out of your head. This being said, I wouldn't recommend this book for people who get light headed at the mention of blood or fecal matter. Needless to say, this is NOT a book to read on your lunch hour!
Shelley M. (shelleylmb) - , reviewed Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers on + 47 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Fantastic book if you have a morbid fascination (that's completely normal, right??). It details how cadavers that are donated to science are used, what really happens to your body during a fatal event, and new ways to "live on" after your death.
Helpful Score: 1
I didn't like this book as much as I thought I would. Although it was funny in spots, I got a little grossed out in spots. Not for everyone.
Helpful Score: 1
Funny, informative, and more than interesting, I found this book to be a wonderful read despite the fact that I wouldn't recommend to those who are the faint of heart or easily off put by graphic imagery.
Marilynn L. (WildOrchid) reviewed Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers on + 222 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I got about 3/4 of the way through this book and just couldn't read it anymore. Besides the human cadavers, there was a lot of detail about the use of animal cadavers (sometimes even live animals) and I just couldn't deal with it. While there is a comical lilt to some of Mary Roach's stories, there certainly wasn't enough to glue me to this book. I'd say, interesting but not for the squeamish.
Helpful Score: 1
Author has a dry and unique sense of humor.
Helpful Score: 1
Ever wondered what happens to bodies that are donated to science? Find out by reading this fascinating, hilarious, sometimes disturbing but always respectful book.
Jeannie H. (ilovebooksanddogs) -
Helpful Score: 1
Wow what a book! I learned a lot from reading it. I loved her writing style, very friendly, easy-going read and hilarious at times (which concerning the subject matter) I thought she pulled off very well. She obviously researched her material. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Helpful Score: 1
A bit gross at times, but with a subject matter like this, it has to be. Yet, it is funny and informing while also being respectful of those who donate their bodies to science. A great read, especially if you are interested in forensics. I loved it.
Helpful Score: 1
This book was absolutely fascinating. I could not put it down. I have always been interested in the human body before and after death. Mary Roach made this book very informative without feeling like you were reading a textbook. However, this book is not for the squeamish. My boyfriend very politely asked me to stop reading excerpts aloud to him...lol. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who has an interest in this subject.
Helpful Score: 1
super interesting
Michelle B. (sdshellybean) reviewed Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers on + 51 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
So interesting, if you're not squeamish! Writing is very accessible and funny.
Excellent but occasionally gross book. The author's writing style is respectful yet humorous and enjoyable to read. If you like watching CSI this book is for you.
Truly a great read for anyone curious about what happens to our bodies after death. Written in layman's terms, it is a very accessible read. Roach is witty and brings a touch of humor to a dark topic.
A wonderfully morbid, comedic read.
i really wanted to read this...but even though i was really into it...i started having bad dreams about what i had just read....and i am a retired nurse...i did not expect that reaction...lol
A great look into what really happens to cadavers....some parts are pretty goofy, but you will come away with much more knowledge of the deceased.
5+ Stars! Informative, witty, well-written! (NOT for the faint of heart) If you ever wondered what it really means to donate your body to science, this is the book for you...
by volume, this book is about 3/4 interesting reading, and about 1/4 really awful dad-jokes. I understand that it is common to joke when talking about "uncomfortable" subjects, but this is just a waste of space. She literally tells bad jokes about the fact that some anatomy students tell bad jokes. She will, in the middle of a paragraph which is setting up the punchline for a bad joke, include tangential dumb one-liners.
But I did learn some stuff, so I'm giving this book three stars for being basically ok(ish)
But I did learn some stuff, so I'm giving this book three stars for being basically ok(ish)
I enjoyed the sometimes humorous approaches to a serious subject. An easy to read book full of history and information on the subject.
Mary Roach has a talent for taking mundane scientific information and presenting it in a way that is not only informative, but entertaining. In this book, she explores the life of a person's body after death, focusing on people who have donated their entire bodies to science. She treats the subject with dignity, even though she does this in a humorous way. She explores surgical training, forensics, and disposal, among other things.
It's good, not great. I've read a few books in this genre now, so I was hoping for some new and very interesting material. I found the first few chapters to be more of the same- similar to info I've already read. Some things were fascinating, like the canibalism chapter. Overall the book was interesting, though it lacked some of the scientific info I had found fascinating in Bonk. For instance, she describes some of the embalming process, but focuses more on the people doing the embalming than on what the heck the embalming process is. A lot of history of the science though- and it is gruesome at points. I did appreciate learning all the ways a body donated to science can be utilized though, and human composting is also fascinating. These were new topics to me, and covered in a unique way.
Very interesting and funny, believe it or not.
An excellent anthropological study on human beliefs on death and the human machine. Also, one of the funnest books I've ever read. As an organ donor I'm happy to find out all the ways my corpse may be used. Really a great book.
STIFF is deffinitely not a book for the faint of heart (or stomachs!). It gives people an interesting look into the uses of cadavers than and now and some interesting myths that have been spread around. Mary Roach writes in a way to make the experience even more enjoyable and not just some dry documentary. It is a very good book for anyone interested in cadavers (of course) and what they have (and are) used for. Though odd, it is very enlightening.
I was quite interested in this book and it lived up to my expectations. Each chapter was about the different ways that cadavers, (bodies that have been donated) are used. Of course for medical students, but so many ways that I never thought of. For the Body Farm in Tennessee, for testing ammo, for car crashes etc. The reason I was so interested was because both my parents donated their bodies to medical universities. It was well written and even had some humorous parts. Not as morbid as you would think.
Here it is, back in circulation. Wow--a read that you'll never forget if you're interested in what becomes of the body after death.
It was really interesting. I am a organ donor and have thought about whole body donation........maybe not!
Cheryl C. (moondance120) reviewed Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers on + 422 more book reviews
Witty, factual and oddly fascinating book about what happens with donated cadavers. Well written and fun to read. 4 stars
Ruth B. (spartacusaby) -
Quirky, readable yet very informative, and thoroughly entertaining throughout. Those who donate their organs and/or bodies to help others are treated with dignity and described as heroes; those who use those donations for research rarely fare as well. Given the subject matter, the humor is obviously a bit macabre and sometimes dark... but so very very dry; I loved this book!
This book was really interesting and it makes you think about what you want done with your body after you die. It was written awhile back so some of the things she refers to as coming in the future should aleady be here. Even though the author takes a humorous approach to the subject, the stuff she writes about is serious and when I was done with it, the next book I ready was a comedy. Still, I find myself thinking about the subject matter and realizing there are more choices then I ever knew about.
Such a good book! I had no idea a cadaver could do so much. I don't think I can eat chicken soup again after reading it, but I'm still glad I did. I'd recommend it to all of my fellow Bones, Buffy, and Walking Dead fans. Not for readers with weak stomachs.
Excellent read and summation about your options when you are dead. I don't think I like any of the options available so I think I will just keep breathing for the time being.
Science. * * * . For the CSI/forensics buff. The book takes a gander at how our dead bodies have been used throughout history; not only to solve crimes but also to help advance science, medicine, and safe cars. As weird as the book may sound, the author infuses the book with wit and dry humor making it an entertaining read.
It really gets down to the nitty-gritty so add ½* if you like stomach-churning details; subtract ½* if you don't. Regardless, it still is a fascinating look into the history of corpses.
It really gets down to the nitty-gritty so add ½* if you like stomach-churning details; subtract ½* if you don't. Regardless, it still is a fascinating look into the history of corpses.
All about dead bodies (and more), this book was a hit last year and a relative gave it to me since I am "the reading type." Never one to turn down a book I read it and now am giving YOU the chance to do the same.
An interesting book for the very curious reader. Sometimes humorous, always enlightening.
Pretty good book, slow in some places
Very outrageous! Should have been named, " 101 Things To Do With A Dead Body"
Gives a good idea, as too what happens when you donate your body.
VERY interesting book. Impressively written with both humor and respect.
Very interesting and informative, but not for the squeamish!
Great, fascinating read (and remarkably funny!). NOT for the squeamish, though.
Great book. Fun, funny and informative. Loved it.
Blanche L. (MaiasGranny) reviewed Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers on + 103 more book reviews
Fascinating! A real page turner, but not for the squeamish.
I did not read it, i found it a bit dull.
Sandra L. (GrannyBookworm) reviewed Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers on + 125 more book reviews
I couldn't put this book down. I love forensics, and this was a new twist on the subject. Unique and very readable.
Interesting and readable. Manages to make a grim subject fun.
Jennifer S. (Lethargic) reviewed Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers on + 2 more book reviews
A really interesting book with great humor. Not for those with weak stomaches.
Loved this book! An oddly original topic and humorous at times. A book not to be missed!
This is a great book on such a morbid subject. It talks about various things that can happen to your body after you die. It goes from subjects about bodies being used for transplants to various ways of preserving your body after death. The subject is serious but written with a sense of candor.
This was a book club selection, and we all loved it. Mary Roach has a great sense of humor. A very informative and thought provoking book.
A fascinating, sometimes gory read about what really happens to us after death and the various ways that cadavers are used to improve things for the living. Great read on a strange subject.
Read alongside "Corpse" for an incredibly informative duo! Great books, both!
Believe it or not there's a lot of humor in this look at all the ways human corpses have helped advance health sciences and safety to bring us a safer world.
This New York Times best seller is unsettling at times but also surprisingly funny, fascinating and provocative. Roach does convey a sense of respect and appreciation along the way with a thoughtful afterword reflecting on all she learned about her subjects.
Fascinating but not for the squeamish. The author doesn't dwell on the gross stuff but...it does contain some graphic descriptions. She presents with a respectful sense of humor, though. I enjoyed this book!
Really enjoyed despite high "gross" factor. Eye opening since its a subject not often discussed. After reading this book, I felt quite a bit differently on the subject.
I wasn't sure if I would like this book, but I found it very compelling. It was the first book in months that I found myself unable to put down. What could have been a gruesome book was instead made interesting by the author's respectful yet humorous approach.
I highly recommend this book!
I highly recommend this book!
Excellent book. Well written, informative and humorous. Not for the squeamish.
Lynda C. (Readnmachine) reviewed Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers on + 1474 more book reviews
Roach manages to be both irreverant and funny in her study of the way in which human remains have been treated over the centuries, without ever being morbid or disrespectful. Mostly, she concentrates on the use of cadavers as medical teaching or research tools, straying at the very end to some unusual methods of disposal of remains. Fascinating stuff, but not for the squeamish.
LOVE< LOVE< LOVE this book!!!
Gruesome as to be expected but very interesting.
Thomas F. (hardtack) -
I first started reading this book when I was at the supper table. It didn't take me long to realize that probably wasn't a good idea. Not that I have a weak stomach, it is just, unlike a cold beer, some of the material discussed didn't compliment what I was eating.
Other reviewers here do a good job in describing the material covered in this book. I'd just like to point two of my favorite tid-bits from the book:
"The way I see it, being dead is not terribly far off from being on a cruise ship. Most of your time is spent lying on your back. The brain has shut down. The flesh begins to soften. Nothing much new happens, and nothing is expected of you."
and
"The human head is approximately the same size and weight as a roaster chicken."
Other reviewers here do a good job in describing the material covered in this book. I'd just like to point two of my favorite tid-bits from the book:
"The way I see it, being dead is not terribly far off from being on a cruise ship. Most of your time is spent lying on your back. The brain has shut down. The flesh begins to soften. Nothing much new happens, and nothing is expected of you."
and
"The human head is approximately the same size and weight as a roaster chicken."
Oh my, what an interesting book! I enjoyed the way it was written (serious, but with humor when needed). From body snatching to studying the rate of decomposition to organ donation, this covered everything that I can think of. I remember in college having the opportunity to dissect (well, the physical therapy students got to do it first) 3 cadavers in anatomy class. That was a different experience.
I have had patients donate their bodies to science at time of death (and when on hospice it's allowed and very easy, no coroner involvement since we go out and "pronounce.") It's fairly simple to do; Medcure is the program used most often for the deaths I've attended
I have had patients donate their bodies to science at time of death (and when on hospice it's allowed and very easy, no coroner involvement since we go out and "pronounce.") It's fairly simple to do; Medcure is the program used most often for the deaths I've attended
Richard G. (ralegh) -
Funny and irreverent, Mary Roach demonstrates her willingness to do about anything you can imagine in her exploration about the "life after death" our cadavers "enjoy." A lot of good information and mind-opening ideas. Her last chapter on her own plans regarding her cadaver-to-be I found particularly thought-provoking.
Frank H. (perryfran) reviewed Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers on + 1222 more book reviews
This was a really fascinating and humorous look at the various things that happen to the human body after death. This included such things as dissection by anatomy students, studies on human decay, using cadavers as crash-test dummies to research automobile accidents, using them to study gunshot wounds, etc. There was also a lot of interesting information on related things such as body snatching which was prevalent in the days before bodies were donated to science for use by anatomy students. The chapter on how the human body and its excretions were used as medicine down through the ages especially by the Chinese was also engrossing (and gross) as well as the chapter on the possibility of transplanting a human head or brain.
Overall, this provided a myriad of information that I really hadn't thought too much about before including the various possibilities of what to do with your body after you die. Is traditional burial the way to go or should the body be cremated? But other possibilities are presented in the book such as donating your body to science (but do I really want to be dissected by an anatomy student?) or should I go with having my remains composted as people are doing in Sweden to be more environmentally friendly? A lot to think about!
Overall, this provided a myriad of information that I really hadn't thought too much about before including the various possibilities of what to do with your body after you die. Is traditional burial the way to go or should the body be cremated? But other possibilities are presented in the book such as donating your body to science (but do I really want to be dissected by an anatomy student?) or should I go with having my remains composted as people are doing in Sweden to be more environmentally friendly? A lot to think about!
Well, no but this book manages to be respectful about death yet highly entertaining. I was completely absorbed. And very thankful I didn't live in the 16th or 17th centuries!
I TRIED TO READ THIS AND IT IS INTERESTING,JUST NOT A BOOK FOR ME.
Very interesting book. I can see why this book is quoted by other authors in their books.
Wendi B. (bakerwendiw) reviewed Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers on + 69 more book reviews
So interesting! Mary Roach is a wonderful writer and seems to always find a humorous way to provide scientific research on strange topics. Will read her other books next.
Well done, with a few well chosen illustrations, and in her edgy style. Some may find parts of it disgusting but she begins with her first encounter with a human cadaver--she and her brother at the mortuary to have their mom buried.
No wishes, so I will but it from the library sale shelf for two bits and send it to the shelf of the old soldiers and sailors' home to cheer up the inmates! [Unfortunately, after I have sent it there I find that up to 23 wishes are outstanding for a paperback edition, as well as a few for other editions, but these did not show up for my copy when I originally wrote this brief review. Too bad.]
I note that this was on the shelf at this branch library for fifteen years and is well worn--most of the interest of the customers here is for videos, illustrated manga style fiction, and computer time--so it had many readers and was not discarded after two or three years as many books here are.
Bibliography, no index.
No wishes, so I will but it from the library sale shelf for two bits and send it to the shelf of the old soldiers and sailors' home to cheer up the inmates! [Unfortunately, after I have sent it there I find that up to 23 wishes are outstanding for a paperback edition, as well as a few for other editions, but these did not show up for my copy when I originally wrote this brief review. Too bad.]
I note that this was on the shelf at this branch library for fifteen years and is well worn--most of the interest of the customers here is for videos, illustrated manga style fiction, and computer time--so it had many readers and was not discarded after two or three years as many books here are.
Bibliography, no index.
really funny! great research of the absured- this just made me laugh out loud! just so you know- i will be cremated!(at least i will be warm for once!) lol i would read more from this author.
glenna
glenna
Stephanie R. (StephanieReedy) reviewed Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers on + 2 more book reviews
Book was good, author definitely goes off subject quite a bit, but when she was talking about the cadavers it was EXTREMELY interesting. Good read.
This book made me less afraid of death! I especially loved the crash test "dummies" in the baby blue leotards. They are my heroes!!
MELISSA L. (WISSA2278) -
i loved this book... it's about cadavers and dead bodies, which i find really interesting... definitely a different read. The author had a column in Reader's Digest which is where i found this book.
I enjoyed this book. The irreverent, offbeat writing keeps the book moving, and prevents stray tangents into maudlin. It brought back memories of gross anatomy lab. I vividly remember being told I had to pull the lungs out of the chest, because I had the smallest hands. I still have memories of holding the lungs as fluid that looked and felt like, but sure didn't smell like barbeque sauce dripped over my hands and into my gloves. I bet, to Mary Roach, this would just be another foray into getting closer to the recently departed, and nothing to think twice about. Other than worrying about prions, but I hope that will be covered in another book she'll write, if I'm lucky! GREAT book!
Great book - Fascinating and Funny ...
Jennifer C. (JustJen) -
Book had interesting facts, but I thought there were a bunch of slow parts in the book that was boring.
I like books that carry you all the way through and don't have you wading through a bunch of boring facts like this book does. I have definetly read more interesting books than this one.
I like books that carry you all the way through and don't have you wading through a bunch of boring facts like this book does. I have definetly read more interesting books than this one.
Laurel W. (StrawberryOES) -
This is the most fascinating book I have ever read. The author is factual and also funny (if you can find something funny about cadavers). Mary Roach did a ton of research for this book and it shows. A "must read" for everyone.
Too much information for me.
