I would rate this book 3.5 stars.

There were definitely some chapters that held my attention more than others. However, one aspect that I truly loved was the humour that Roach injected into the topic.

Her writing style made what could have been a dry and technical subject matter come alive with wit and charm.

The humorous anecdotes and asides added an extra layer of entertainment to the reading experience.

It made me look forward to turning the page to see what clever thing she would say next.

Overall, while not every chapter was equally engaging, the humour alone made this a worthwhile read.

The title of the book provides a complete explanation of what it is about.

If such a topic is interesting to you, be sure to read it.

Although there are also some things that you may think of yourself, such as "If I didn't know this, I would sleep more peacefully at night."

Especially, there is a chapter that talks about the most amazing and strange things that humans use as medicine.

This chapter made it more common for people to use marijuana as a drug, which is not a good thing.

We should view drugs objectively and stay away from them to protect our physical and mental health.

This is by far the most uproariously funny book about human cadavers that I have ever had the pleasure of perusing. In fact, it might very well be the solitary book that is solely dedicated to delineating precisely what transpires to human bodies subsequent to death that I have ever come across. There were countless moments while reading when I felt a queasy sensation creeping up on me. However, it was truly worth it. The subject matter was simply too captivating to resist the urge to continue reading. She is an exceptionally talented writer, and this book is truly one of a kind. I have always intended to be cremated, but I must admit that if I were a person of means, the section on composting was indeed quite intriguing. I am now eagerly anticipating the opportunity to read more of her works.

It's remarkable how this book manages to blend humor with such a macabre topic. It makes you think about death in a whole new light.

Despite the initial discomfort, I found myself completely engrossed in the details and explanations provided.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone with an open mind and a curiosity about the afterlife.

A morbid and tongue-in-rancid-cheek funny nonfiction piece delves into the rather macabre topic of what occurs to a body when it is donated to science. It details the various procedures that these stiff bodies endure, from having their faces shaved off for plastic surgery training to being strapped in for automobile crash tests. It's truly a hell-on-earth ride for these donated cadavers.

The most curious aspect is that, even after hearing about all the poking, prodding, desecrating, and dismembering, I find myself actually more inclined to donate my body to science now than I was before reading this book. I'm not entirely sure what that says about me. Maybe it's a strange sense of altruism, or perhaps it's a morbid curiosity that drives me. Either way, it's a rather unexpected reaction.

It makes one wonder about the value we place on our bodies in life and what we are willing to sacrifice for the greater good of science and medical advancement. While the thought of our bodies being used in such ways can be disturbing, it also serves an important purpose. Donating our bodies to science can help researchers gain a better understanding of the human body and develop new treatments and procedures that can save countless lives.

There was not a single zombie in this whole book!!

Mary Roach writes books about some truly interesting topics. This particular one intrigued me the most. However, upon finishing, I realized I also had "Packing For Mars," and now that I've finally read one of her books and really enjoyed her style, I think I'll likely get to that one sooner rather than later. She infuses a bit of levity and a healthy sense of the absurd into topics that most of us can easily avoid thinking about for a lifetime.

I find myself having to be a bit of a messenger-killer, though. While I understand she was thorough in reporting on the history of anatomy and scientific discovery and experimentation regarding the body, all the stuff about animal experimentation really bothered me. A lot. I think I'm already about 92.3% misanthropic, and all that "Hey, let's take the head off of a monkey and graft it onto a different monkey and see what happens!" kind of thing probably raised that percentage to around 95.9%, if I had to guesstimate. I can understand the need for experimentation when we're trying to understand and do something. Practicing procedures like grafting veins and arteries for limb reattachment or transplants is vital, and since people are generally hesitant to be guinea pigs, real guinea pigs are needed. I get that.

But some of these experiments, in my opinion, are just frivolous god-playing. They don't serve a long-term purpose for either people or animals and are just done because they can be, with no compelling reason not to, all in the name of "doing science."

Then there are some little quirky writing things that annoyed me a bit. For example, Roach has a tendency to get off-track and ramble on about a side topic for a bit too long before getting back to the interesting topic she interrupted with her anecdote or sidebar story.

And so, I deduct a star for these things. But only one, because the rest of the book is great. There are some really thought-provoking insights in this book. For instance, the laws against necrophilia in Nevada were more complete and specific than rape laws in the US until January 1, 2013. (Per FBI.gov.)

There's also the statistics on how many lives can be saved by doing crash test experiments on actual human cadavers. Or how squeamish and prudish people can be about dead bodies.

I'm not a religious or spiritual person. To me, everything in this book related to putting cadavers to use makes perfect sense. I've been an organ donor for as long as I've been able to check the box when renewing my driver's license. If I die, take anything useful and give it to anyone who needs it. I can't use them anymore, so why should I keep them? Just for sentimentality? I've had discussions with people who say they'd "never!" check that organ donor box on their license because they think EMTs and doctors "won't try as hard" to save organ donors. But I think that's just bullshit. They aren't going to check your ID for the indicator before deciding whether to give you CPR, and they probably aren't the ones who would determine if your organs are viable for donation anyway. Plus, the purpose of that kind of transplant is to save a life, right? And your life is right there, waiting to be saved, while a potential organ recipient is just a spot on a list and probably not bleeding out in front of them.

Check the organ donor box. They'd try to save you if you need it. I promise.

If they don't, haunt the shit out of them.

Anyway, as I was saying. In my mind, it makes no sense at all for a perfectly good body to just rot in a hole somewhere or be incinerated. It can do something worthwhile. Maybe it could be used to test out the newest seatbelt or airbag technology, or safety harness gear for people who work on insanely high platforms, like the guys who have to fix antennas on buildings or something. Or maybe it could be used for teaching the next generation of doctors how to actually perform the procedures they're supposed to do. If they botch it their first time out (or second or third or fourth), wouldn't you rather that be a practice run on a cadaver who isn't going to know or care than on you?

The section about the soul was lost on me because, as I said, I'm not much of a spiritual type person. I don't really give that kind of thing much thought. That being said, I think it's pretty silly to claim that traits have "followed" an organ from the donor to the recipient. The claim that a donor heart made the recipient into a sex fiend or made them feel like a teenager and want to drive fast cars and listen to loud music is pretty outlandish. My theory is that the recipient has just been given a healthy heart (or whatever) and suddenly has a new lease on life, and wants to make the most of it. The simplest explanation is usually the right one.

Another thing that I thought was kind of silly was Dr. Oz being quoted several times in this book as an expert, not a TV celebrity quack. I'm sorry, but I live in 2015. I just can't take this guy seriously. He's a joke who got rich on daytime TV by exploiting people and selling them bullshit and lies. If he was an actual legitimate doctor at some point, he's lost any credibility he might have had. I was actually really surprised to see his name in this book. It seemed so rational otherwise. But this, really?: "[L]ife and death is not a binary system. [...] In between life and death is a state of near-death, or pseudo-life. And most people don't want what's in between."

Uhhhh, right, Dr. Oz. If you say so. You're the "expert."

The section about ingesting human flesh or secretions for health benefits was pretty yucky, but otherwise, I didn't think this book was distasteful or gross at all. I really thought the anatomy and decomposition research sections were fascinating, as well as the black box death investigator guy. I also learned quite a lot about the funeral business, which probably shouldn't have surprised me as much as it did... but I guess it's just not something that I've had cause to think about (and hopefully won't for a while).

I actually appreciated the journalistic detachment mixed with first-hand experience that Roach brought to this. It definitely gave the book a lot of credibility in my mind. I think she asked good questions, better questions, perhaps a bit different from what I would have asked.

All in all, I think this book was interesting and informative, and it's made me want to explore my post-life options a little bit more. There are a lot of them available now, but there still seems to be a stigma about remains being dealt with in non-traditional ways... or maybe that's just because of where I am, with the prevailing Catholic notions in the area.

I'd be perfectly happy being composted via an organic burial pod so I'd be tree-food.

**Original Article**: This is a great day. The sun is shining and the birds are singing. I feel very happy.

**Expanded Article**:

This is an absolutely GREAT day.

The sun is shining brightly in the sky, its warm rays spreading across everything.

The birds are singing their beautiful songs, as if celebrating this wonderful moment.

I am filled with a sense of joy and contentment.

Everywhere I look, there is beauty and life.

The flowers are blooming, adding a splash of color to the landscape.

The gentle breeze caresses my face, making me feel refreshed.

I can't help but smile and appreciate all the good things in life.

It's days like these that make me realize how lucky I am.

I am going to make the most of this great day and create memories that will last a lifetime.

If I die in a combat zone, would freeze-drying me and sending me home be a possibility? Believe it or not, freeze-drying is now an option, but it's mainly for those who wish to be used as human compost. One would hope that the resulting compost would be used to fertilize flowers rather than the vegetable garden.

There are numerous benefits in our lives that we can attribute to the people who have selflessly donated their bodies to research. I was completely unaware that cadavers are used for tests to enhance automobile safety. I had always thought they used those crash test dummies we see in advertisements. However, only a real body can provide accurate insights into what actually happens to a human body upon impact.

There are many other studies that require real bodies. So, instead of choosing cremation, you might want to consider donating your remains. If you decide to donate your body for medical study, you can even include a biographical note in your file for the students who will dissect you.

If your brain wasn't sufficient to get you into Harvard while you were alive, they'll accept it after you pass away. I had great difficulty grasping this concept. I could vividly picture my brain sitting on a shelf in a jar labeled "Abby Normal," with Marty Feldman dancing around it and singing "Ain't got no bah-dee!"

For this book, it's advisable to refrain from the habit of reading while eating, especially for the chapters that deal with historical practices involving cadavers. Mary Roach is not easily queasy, and she doesn't shy away from the grisly and grotesque details.

If you can overcome your discomfort regarding the topic, it makes for a truly fascinating read. The only parts that I found challenging were those where she described the things they did to live animals in the name of research.

Aaaarrrrrh … dead men DO tell tales!

Science writer Mary Roach offers her fans an improbable yet fascinating overview. She delves into the story and history of cadavers. This includes their disposal methods, the details of their interment and even disinterment. She explores the science of decomposition, forensic pathology, and their various medical uses. Cadavers have made significant contributions to medical research and instruction. She also touches on the sourcing of transplant organs and their use as surrogate stand-ins for live human bodies in a wide range of off-the-wall experimentation. Additionally, she discusses contemporary and future alternatives to simple burial and cremation. The book is filled with insights that are shocking, instructive, informative, and entertaining all at once. It is compelling, provocative, witty, and often times, in a tongue-in-cheek way, disrespectful and laugh-out-loud hilarious!

It’s truly hard to read STIFF without having a 5-star appreciation for both its entertainment and information value. It is definitely a highly recommended read.

Paul Weiss

Death.. It doesn't have to be boring.

This statement may seem counterintuitive at first, but as you delve into this well-researched and darkly humorous read, you'll begin to see its truth.

The author takes a unique approach to the topic of death, exploring it from various angles and presenting information in a way that is both informative and engaging.

While the book does sometimes wander off topic, it always manages to bring the focus back to death and its many aspects.

Overall, this is a very interesting read that will challenge your preconceptions about death and leave you with a newfound appreciation for the subject.

Whether you're looking to learn more about death or simply want to be entertained by a thought-provoking book, this one is definitely worth checking out.

I don't like to rate non-fiction books unless they are an absolute 5-star read for me. This particular book wasn't that perfect 5-star gem, but it was still really good.

There is an abundance of excellent information within the pages of this book. Roach's narrative voice is powerful and engaging. She delves into a wide range of topics, starting from the process of decomposition. She then explores how close science has come to achieving a full body transplant. Additionally, she tackles the age-old debate about whether the seat of the soul is located in the head or the heart. The sheer number of topics covered that are related to cadavers is truly impressive. However, I must admit that I found some of the discussions more captivating than others.

Overall, while it may not have been a flawless 5-star read, it still offered a great deal of valuable and interesting content that kept me engaged throughout.

Mary Roach never fails to amaze me. Her curiosity lies in the most unusual of subjects, and she approaches them with a unique sense of humour that is slightly off-kilter. However, she has now found a topic that I simply cannot read about while having a meal. I had to save this particular book for after-supper reading.

We despise being confronted with our own mortality, and that is precisely what human cadavers do. We are forced to consider who these individuals were before they passed away and the fact that one day, we will be in the same position. I believe that even Ms. Roach herself found her usual fearless boundaries being tested during this research. She discusses the fine line she had to walk, between showing sufficient respect for the dead (who, after all, still have loved ones in the world who care about them) and her typically irreverent self. She manages to retain the humour by poking fun at her own reactions.

As a society, we are reluctant to think about death, yet we become overly emotional when it comes to using human bodies (which were donated by those who once inhabited them) in various safety tests. I suppose it doesn't seem as dignified as we anticipate the dead to be treated. It also appears to be extremely uncomfortable for those conducting the tests.

Weird and wonderful, this book contains everything you ever wanted to know about being dead but were too afraid to ask. Mary, on the other hand, is rarely afraid to pose those questions. If you enjoy this book, I would highly recommend her equally engaging companion volume, "Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife".

In my *morbid nonfiction book* era, I find myself delving into the darkest corners of the human experience.

These books offer a unique perspective on the macabre, the tragic, and the often overlooked aspects of life.

They explore true crime stories, historical atrocities, and the inner workings of the human mind in the face of death and disaster.

Reading these books can be both fascinating and disturbing, as they force us to confront our own mortality and the capacity for evil that exists within us all.

But despite the morbidity, there is also a certain beauty and wisdom to be found in these stories.

They remind us of the importance of empathy, of understanding the pain and suffering of others, and of striving to make the world a better place.

In this era of my life, I am drawn to these books like a moth to a flame, eager to explore the depths of the human condition and to learn from the lessons they have to teach.