Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach is an exploration into the history and uses of human cadavers, delving into emblematic activities like cremation and research. The author takes readers on a journey through the world of cadavers, from cosmetic surgery to embalming, addressing questions about what happens to bodies after death with a blend of hard science and humor. Roach's writing style is described as quirky, humorous, and respectful, providing a balance between factual information and entertainment value while discussing various options for the body after death.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The book contains high content warnings for graphic descriptions of body processes, surgical procedures, and discussions of death and decay.
From The Publisher:
"One of the funniest and most unusual books of the year....Gross, educational, and unexpectedly sidesplitting."-Entertainment Weekly
Stiff is an oddly compelling, often hilarious exploration of the strange lives of our bodies postmortem. For two thousand years, cadavers-some willingly, some unwittingly-have been involved in science's boldest strides and weirdest undertakings. In this fascinating account, Mary Roach visits the good deeds of cadavers over the centuries and tells the engrossing story of our bodies when we are no longer with them.
Ratings (75)
Incredible (12) | |
Loved It (35) | |
Liked It (20) | |
It Was OK (6) | |
Did Not Like (2) |
Reader Stats (147):
Read It (75) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (52) | |
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5 comment(s)
I was expecting to come away having learned an interesting tidbit or two, but my reading experience was even better than that: Mary Roach is an engaging and well-organized storyteller, my favorite kind of nonfic writer.
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers was possibly one of the only NF books I actually enjoyed reading. Parts were LOL funny, parts were sad and freaky, but the entire book was a lesson in the history of cadavers, the need for them and what people have done to get their hands on them (
for medical training, don't be gross!).
With chapters like these: A Head is a Terrible Thing to Waste, Dead Man Driving, The Cadaver Who Joined the Army, How to Know if You're Dead, Just a Head and Eat Me you know you're in for a treat.
One of the most "interesting" things I learned: The brain is one of the first organs to dissolve ...
"It just pours out the ears and bubbles out the mouth." Niiiicccee!
Mary Roach's introduction begins with
"Death. It doesn't have to be boring." She proves that point over and over again through the book.
People normally wouldn't associate "corpses", in the NF sense, with a good read, but she has written a book that is both funny and thought provoking. She's very respectful as she tells us about the uses and disposal of dead bodies. We learn about organ donation, medical students' feelings about their "patients", how corpses are used as crash-test dummies and help solving crimes.
On a funny note: My husband was with me when I was listening to part of the audiobook. He just stared at me, so I asked if he'd rather I not listen to it with him in the car. He said, "No, I'm just trying to figure out the story." I told him it is a NF book about cadavers. A few minutes pass and he says, "So, that's it, she's just talking about bodies?" Yep, that's it, just talking about bodies. :)
So interesting.
Muchos datos curiosos y trivialidades.
Another book about death and what can be learned from your body when you're done with it. Even though this book is a bit older it still gave me some new insights on options for when I no longer need this vessel. I enjoyed the book but the author's humor was not really my style.
What can you read after
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers?
About the Author:
Mary Roach is the author of five best-selling works of nonfiction, including Grunt, Stiff, and, most recently, Fuzz. Her writing has appeared in National Geographic and the New York Times Magazine, among other publications. She lives in Oakland, California.
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