Reviews
The numerous tidbits of information derived from the author's travels and interviews make [this book] uniquely appealing., "Outrageously funny, irreverent"--but respectful....so delightfully written, this book is difficult to put down.", As weird as the book gets, Roach manages to convey a sense of respect and appreciation for her subjects., [Roach] manages to make material that normally comes with a warning for the faint-hearted somehow light-hearted., What saves the subject matter from intolerable gruesomeness is Roach. Her interest is genuine, despite her droll tone., Our own instinctive discomfort with death provides fodder for Roach's dry sense of humor throughout the book, Roach...goes into gruesome detail, but she also succeeds in not making the subject at hand too morbid., [Roach's] firsthand accounts of places and people make this a captivating look at life after death., Surprisingly entertaining. Similar in tone to Bill Bryson's travel books, Roach manages to be humorous yet respectful., A laugh-out-loud funny book....one of those wonderful books that offers enlightenment in the guise of entertainment., Fascinating, unexpectedly fresh and funny look at the multiplicity of ways in which cadavers benefit the living.... entertaining, absolutely., Roach's deliberate carefulness diminishes the topic's gore and sets a comfortable, comic tone that finds solace in its own oddity., [Roach's] knack for detailed research and loose Dave Barry-ish style makes Stiff a leisurely and enjoyable read., [Roach] artfully and humorously unwraps the mystery of the dead body....an interesting and informative read., Despite the irreverent, macabre title, this is a respectful and serious examination of what happens to cadavers, past and present., As fascinating as it is funny.... The research is admirable, the anecdotes carefully chosen, and the prose lively; and they combine to produce a book that everyone in the health care field should have to read, and everyone else will want to., Lively and quirky....the writer's style is genuinely warm...she has a keen eye for observation of unique and ironic details., An informative, gently funny but never irreverent look at the various uses society makes of the dead., Roach's conversational tone and her gallows humor bring her subjects to life....Morbidly entertaining., Roach traces the use of the cadaver...and describes odd, behind-the-scenes moments perfect to halt all discussion at dinner.
Synopsis
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. They've tested France's first guillotines, ridden the NASA Space Shuttle, been crucified in a Parisian laboratory to test the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin, and helped solve the mystery of TWA Flight 800. For every new surgical procedure, from heart transplants to gender reassignment surgery, cadavers have been there alongside surgeons, making history in their quiet way. In this fascinating, ennobling account, Mary Roach visits the good deeds of cadavers over the centuries--from the anatomy labs and human-sourced pharmacies of medieval and nineteenth-century Europe to a human decay research facility in Tennessee, to a plastic surgery practice lab, to a Scandinavian funeral directors' conference on human composting. In her droll, inimitable voice, Roach tells the engrossing story of our bodies when we are no longer with them., "One of the funniest and most unusual books of the year....Gross, educational, and unexpectedly sidesplitting."-- Entertainment Weekly