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Stiff

The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

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By: Mary Roach
Narrated by: Shelly Frasier
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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.

©2003 Mary Roach (P)2003 Tantor Media, Inc. Biological Sciences Death & Dying History & Commentary Medicine & Health Care Industry Science Sociology Surgery Witty Funny Scary Heartfelt Amish Biography
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Critic reviews

  • Alex Award Winner, 2004

"Uproariously funny....informative and respectful...irreverent and witty....impossible to put down." (Publishers Weekly)
"Not grisly but inspiring, this work considers the many valuable scientific uses of the body after death." (Library Journal)
"One of the funniest and most unusual books of the year." (Entertainment Weekly)
All stars
Most relevant
A brilliantly written book
Full of wit and surprising humor despite such an perceived Macabre topic.

Eagerly looking forward to the next token and the next book to add to my library.

so worth a listen

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Well, I have never got to know how may things the humans have done with cadavers and how useful actually they can be. It's of course a book full of weird things but if you keep an open mind you can go beyond that weirdness and actually enjoy it.

Interesting and weird

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A great book, would highly recommended to anyone with a morbid curiosity like myself. It was informative without being too disgusting or disrespectful, if you weren't instantly put-off by the description you'll probably be fine. In terms of performance it was really well read and easy to follow.

Really good read

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I loved this book. Not in the least morbid, totally fascinating and dryly amusing. Wonderful.

An unexpected gem

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I expected this to be fascinating, and wasn't disappointed, but i wasn't expecting it to be so funny. The descriptions of some pretty horrible processes told with self deprecating humour was wonderfully entertaining. I loved it.

Surprisingly enthralling

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