Laugh out loud funny is indeed the way to go if one desires to learn more than they ever thought possible about dead bodies. This book truly made me eager to discover what else Mary Roach has written before I potentially become a subject for studies similar to this one. As can be seen below in EXTRA STUFF, I was able to do just that. Roach has now firmly established herself as one of my all-time favorite authors.

Mary Roach - Image from Stanford Medicine - photo by Timothy Archibald

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EXTRA STUFF

Links to the author’s personal and Twitter pages

Interview

-----Stanford Medicine - Winter 2018 - Exploring our miraculous icky parts by Paul Costello - The interview, which is a wonderful introduction to Roach, covers several books, with Stiff featuring prominently.

Here is a fun piece from the NY Times in which Mary is asked about books she didn't write. Her last line is simply delightful. : Mary Roach: By the Book

Other Mary Roach books we have enjoyed

-----2021 - Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law

-----2016 - Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War

-----2013 - Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal

-----2010 - Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void

-----2006 - Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife

After giving this some more thought I’ve added to this review. Additions are in bold.

Have you ever wondered what exactly occurs to the human body when it succumbs to death? Or perhaps how the cadavers that are selflessly donated to the noble cause of science are actually utilized? Maybe you've even pondered whether the process of embalming can truly prevent a body from ever decaying. These are just a few of the numerous thought-provoking questions that are comprehensively covered within the pages of this remarkable book.

I have an absolute adoration for Mary Roach’s writing style! She manages to be uproariously hilarious without ever crossing the line into disrespect. It's truly inconceivable to me that anyone else could pen about this rather macabre subject with the same level of finesse and charm as she does. She has an uncanny ability to keep the reader completely engaged from start to finish, skillfully posing the very questions that we all, deep down, are curiously eager to have answered. Well, at least the questions that piqued my own curiosity. This was an undeniably fascinating read, yet at times, it could also be quite disturbing. If you have a weak stomach and get nauseous easily, this may not be the ideal book for you.

This may also not be the book for you if you are an animal lover. There are several sections that discuss experiments on animals—the same or similar experiments that are being done on cadavers—that was very difficult for me to read.

Simply marvellous! This book is hugely entertaining. It made me laugh out loud in public repeatedly. What's more, I also learnt a great deal of stuff from it. Even when I heard the things that I already knew, I didn't mind at all because Roach is just so entertaining. It is extremely difficult to come across as wryly funny while at the same time respecting the personhood of the cadavers she discusses. However, Roach manages to do it effortlessly. I really can't say enough good things about this book without sounding repetitive. I absolutely loved it!

Mucho thanks to Adriana for connecting me with this amazing writer. Her work has truly been a delight to read and has opened my eyes to many new and interesting things.

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/

  “Cadavers are our superheroes: They brave fire without flinching, withstand falls from tall buildings and head-on car crashes into walls. You can fire a gun at them or run a speedboat over their legs, and it will not faze them. Their heads can be removed with no deleterious effect. They can be in six places at once.”

If you know me, you already know that I have a different sort of relationship with the dead. You know, the kind where you dress them up and play hilarious games with them. Obviously, once I heard about Stiff, it had to go right to the top of my TBR. In all honesty, I was expecting something just a smidge more entertaining than my high school biology book. You know, the kind of book only a morbid weirdo like myself could truly enjoy. To say I was pleasantly surprised is the understatement of the year.

Most of us are already familiar with the potential a cadaver has to continue on after his expiration date. Stiff takes it to a whole new level, covering just about every potential “career” one can have after death. It also tackles everything from burial to composting as a potential “disposal” method. Not to mention dealing with the more taboo subjects that relate to the dead.

As a bonus, all of the above subject matter was written about with such charm and humor that I found myself LOLing for real at times. Mary Roach is the type of gal I’d like to have a drink with. Not only was she able to write about “stiffs” with a sense of humor, she also shamelessly owned up to her own oddities.

If reading a “smart people book” (a/k/a non-fiction) is something you’d like to do more of, Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers is one I’d highly recommend.

Stiff, by Mary Roach, is a book that delves into the world of human cadavers and the rather curious circumstances they encounter.

Well, to be clear, they don't actively find themselves in these situations as they are, after all, deceased. But it was Mary Roach who unearthed these tales, and this book is the outcome.

As I was reading this book, I actually stopped at the halfway mark and seriously questioned whether I wanted to bother finishing it. This was a first for me, as I usually persevere until the often bloody and gruesome conclusion. However, this book simply failed to capture my interest. It was far from the hilarious screamfest that the Amazon reviews had led me to believe. It didn't transport me into uncharted territories. Instead, it was just that: a disappointment.

I had heard a great deal about this book before I picked it up from the shelf at Barnes and Noble. It had been highly recommended by MeFites and I had seen it referenced in numerous places across the internet. My initial impression was that the author seemed more like a periodicals journalist attempting to write a book. Each chapter reads like its own standalone article, at least until she makes a rather weak attempt to tie them together by adding statements such as, "But in the next chapter, we see how dead bodies really do push up daisies," at the end of each chapter. Clearly, this was an afterthought.

Moreover, perhaps due to the book's initial success, it seems to me that almost every topic covered within its pages has recently been explored on television or in magazines. Maybe I read about these things during my college days. I certainly don't go out of my way to seek interesting tidbits about cadavers, yet somehow, from somewhere, I was already familiar with the subject matter of almost every chapter.

This book simply isn't funny. I find it impossible to imagine anyone laughing out loud while reading it. It's not that I'm unable to find humor in death or dead people or the various situations described. It's just that the author tries far too hard. The humor feels forced and unnatural. It's as if she spent hours laboriously trying to describe a lab tech in a comical way, but it just falls flat. Additionally, the author inserts herself into the narrative and records her own interviews, including awkward attempts at humor with very serious individuals. It's cringe-worthy and almost makes you feel embarrassed for her.

The end of the book couldn't have arrived soon enough. Towards the conclusion, she morbidly attempts to outdo each chapter with even more disgusting details, grosser descriptions, and more sick and twisted happenings. This begins to overshadow the little bit of grace and dignity that the book initially started with. It's almost as if the publishers recognized this, as odd, tiny rants about the dignity of the deceased and the way people handle them are awkwardly inserted into the text. It becomes repetitive and tiresome.

In the end, I simply did not enjoy this book. The author, with her injected awkward humor and odd opinions, annoyed me. The book felt unpolished and lacked anything new or different. It was, quite simply, a disappointment.

Imagine you're a cadaver.

That's a rather challenging concept for a person to wrap their mind around because, let's face it, none of us truly desires to contemplate that fateful day when we take our last breath. But that's okay. Mary Roach has done the dirty work for you.

In this captivating, macabre, yet simultaneously interesting and humorous book, Roach delves into just about every conceivable aspect of what it would be like to be a cadaver. And the best part is, you can read and ponder these thoughts while perhaps sipping on a cocktail or indulging in a piece of chocolate.

It also doesn't hurt if you're a John Prine fan and happen to play Please Don't Bury Me https://youtu.be/DEhqzOeJnto or Monty Python's Always Look on the Bright Side of Life https://youtu.be/WlBiLNN1NhQ from time to time while reading Stiff.

Seriously, Mary Roach does an excellent job of covering a topic that most people would rather avoid thinking about. She conducts gruesome research and provides answers to questions that might just make your planning for your own inevitable dark day a little less daunting.

Overall, her work offers a unique and enlightening perspective on a subject that is both fascinating and a bit unsettling.

Mary Roach didn't initially strike me as either funny or witty. Instead, she came across as simply annoying. She is like that wise-ass class clown sitting in the back row, constantly heckling the teacher and diverting everyone's attention from what could otherwise be a fairly decent lecture. The irony is that she is also supposed to be the teacher in this context. But what exactly was her point? Was it merely to talk about dead bodies or perhaps to impress herself with her own juvenile jokes?

From a professional perspective, Roach seems to have an awfully distrustful attitude towards librarians. Does she truly believe that the circulation clerk at a medical library would find her freaky for checking out books on dead people? Does she really think that the clerk even cares? And does she seriously think that a librarian would mistake her PubMed search as porn and bust her? It's quite a pity because her so-called "facts" such as "a dozen websites say..." and "when I googled this I found out..." give me the impression that she has the research prowess of a cadaver. Roach could really benefit from the assistance of a good librarian, who could not only help her enhance her search skills but also direct her to the next open mic night where she could practice her shtick.

In conclusion, I would highly recommend skipping this book and instead sticking to Six Feet Under.

R, is for Roach

3.5 Stars

The word "humane" is an adjective that means having or showing compassion or benevolence. However, it's quite ironic that a species with a history filled with the abuse and mistreatment of animals would use such a word to describe itself. This just goes to show our arrogance. But this is not the topic that Roach explores in "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers".

In this book, Roach delves into the many different uses of human bodies after they are no longer inhabited. It's truly fascinating, to say the least. While some might find it morbid, I found it to be a scientific, often humorous, and extremely interesting read.

As a species, we have an almost innate fear of death. But what we really fear isn't death itself, but the act of dying and the pain and hardship that come with it. This book, however, isn't about that. It's about the serious scientific advancements that have been made possible through the use of cadavers. Our history is unfortunately full of horrible instances of grave-robbing, non-consensual cadaver use, and even murder in the name of furthering science.
Some of the stories and snippets from history are deeply unsettling. There are a couple of chapters that I wouldn't recommend reading before, after, or during a meal. But for the most part, Roach has written a witty and interesting non-fiction book that manages to be both illuminating and funny.
Now, to answer the question that's probably on every reader's mind: What about donating your body to science? My answer is similar to Roach's. I will, at the very least, be an organ donor. I firmly believe that if I can save lives, then my family or loved ones' squeamishness doesn't matter. However, I will leave the final decision on donating my body to science up to my survivors. After all, I'll be dead, and they'll be the ones living with the consequences.
Category: A Non-Fiction Book

When I pass away, my hope is to have a Viking funeral. Picture me, with my trusty broadsword, lying on a large raft. I'll be adorned in my magnificent regalia, looking every bit the warrior.

Oh, and I can just imagine David and Emily arguing over who gets the honor of firing a flaming arrow onto the raft. Of course, we'll need some kindling, or perhaps my regalia could be doused with gasoline for a more spectacular effect. Yes, let's go with gasoline. As I drift down the Eerie Canal, I'll explode into a ball of flame.

Since I'm an atheist, I highly doubt I'll make it to Valhalla. Then again, the thought of waiting around and/or engaging in battle for all eternity doesn't exactly sound appealing.

Failing that, I've decided to donate my body to science. My reasoning is simple: I don't want to be confined to a box. It's not pleasant now, and it won't be pleasant in the future. I also don't want to be turned into pollution through incineration and then have my ashes scattered in my favorite childhood park or wherever people choose to dispose of cremains. These methods are neither environmentally friendly nor entertaining.

Instead, I can be a part of science, which, based on the descriptions in this book, seems like an incredibly cool way to go. Maybe my severed head will end up in a row of severed heads of various shapes and sizes in a classroom somewhere. Students will struggle to keep their lunches down as they open my head and see all the gross internal parts. Or perhaps they'll place my dead and naked body in a field to study the decomposition process. I envision a flat, green field with trees and a few birds, and dead bodies scattered everywhere. Can you imagine what it would be like to walk around in such a field? It would be truly surreal.

As a socially conscious individual, I hope that my death can somehow make the world a better place (please refrain from making the obvious joke). And as a lover of surreal experiences as performance art, donating my body to science seems like a great way to continue to weird people out long after my heart stops beating. Yes, my decision is final. Only by donating your body to science can you do something noble, socially responsible, and absolutely disgusting all at once.

Since this is the closest I've ever come to writing a will, I might as well mention that none of you will receive anything. I'm taking it all with me on my blazing Valhalla raft. It's better to have everything close by, just in case there really is an afterlife.

I'm laughing, should I be laughing!?

Oh my...............ok so there's meat to this book that I find extremely interesting. It is well researched and respectfully written. Me likey.

Lmao, whet??? Did she say seance...

OMG this is horrifying in a scary movie type of way, except this is all true sooooooo

THAT IS SO NASTY

This book is truly a captivating read. It manages to be both shocking and interesting simultaneously. One must beware though, it is not for the faint of heart. However, if you have a penchant for historical non-fiction that is interspersed with a touch of "that's what I was thinking" humor, then this book is an absolute must-read for you. It takes you on a journey through history, uncovering facts and stories that are both fascinating and at times, quite disturbing. But that's what makes it so engaging and keeps you turning the pages.

Overall, this book is a unique blend of entertainment and education, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre.

Okay, I have to admit, the title intrigued me.

And being a mystery lover who is fascinated by police procedurals, it seemed only natural to explore a true story about the lives of human cadavers.

What could we possibly learn from them?

But it is more than just a simple exploration. Mary Roach delves into what occurs when one donates their body to science.

Hilarity might not be the first thing that comes to mind, but it is indeed a good dose of edutainment.

The subject matter is extremely interesting, and the methods, tests, and history behind human body experiments are truly worth the read.

The book has the power to make you consider becoming an organ donor or donating your body to medical science.

Well, I don't have such an inclination, but perhaps you will.

This book is definitely fascinating, touching, and surprisingly wholesome considering its topic of dead bodies.

Mary Roach brings cadavers into a whole new, sometimes painfully bright, light, revealing aspects that we might never have thought about before.

Almost five stars. Marin Sorescu wondered why we waste our time on things that are of no use to us after death. Our body would be a good example, wouldn't it? What use is it to us then? Well, it seems that it is of great use to others. Before, people refused to donate their cadaver, believing that there is life after death and their spirit would have nowhere to live if scientists mutilated it. However, now they are becoming more and more eager to do this. Maybe our thinking has evolved, after all. If there is life after death, a person dies and a person sees. Until then, I say read this book that overflows with a rare pragmatism. The review is here: https://sandradeaconu.blogspot.com/20....

"Life is composed of such things: discharges, miseries, secrets, pus, mucus. We are pure biology, but we remember this only at the beginning and at the end of life, at birth and at death. Between these two essential moments, we do everything possible to forget of what elements we are composed."