My favourite things always fall into two distinct categories: either they are pretty and dreamy, or they are creepy and weird. And when any of those elements combine together with a touch of dark humour - well, that's even better!

So, it goes without saying that "Stiff," a seriously funny (and, in a strange sort of way, cute) book all about the dead human body, is one of my all-time favourites. It delves into topics like how we die, what physically happens to our bodies after we pass away, and what our corpses endure if we choose to donate our bodies to science.

I have my very own copy of this wonderful book in my personal collection, and I often pick it up to amuse myself and to refresh my memory. After all, you never know when you might need to describe, in vivid detail, to someone the process of cremation. It's a fascinating and unique read that keeps me entertained and informed at the same time.

Mary Roach delves into the topic of what occurs when one donates their body to science, and the result is a rather engaging and often humorous exploration.

Going back to around the time when the earth's crust cooled and life began to spread across the planet, which I estimate to be late 1994 or early 1995, I took a trip to a chiropractic college with my Advanced Biology class. This visit was memorable for several reasons. Firstly, it was the first time I endured an excruciating caffeine withdrawal headache. Secondly, and most relevant to this review, it was the first time I laid eyes on a human cadaver. The cadaver had its face covered, and its skin appeared shriveled, much like beef jerky. For a brief moment, my 17-year-old mind wondered about the origin of the man, but then my hormone-driven brain redirected my attention to the attractive young ladies in the room.

Roach manages to make a subject that many find creepy, donating one's remains to science, into an often humorous read. She covers a wide range of topics, including learning surgical techniques through practicing on cadavers, human decomposition, the ingestion of human remains for medicinal purposes, the use of corpses in car crash tests and ballistics tests, crucifixion experiments, and even head transplants.

While it may not be the most suitable reading material for mealtime, I didn't find it as nauseating as some reviewers have described. The discussions on decomposition and the quack remedies of the Middle Ages were truly fascinating, and I was particularly intrigued by the head and brain transplant experiments. Suddenly, Frankenstein's monster doesn't seem quite as far-fetched as it once did.

Interestingly, necrophilia is only illegal in 16 states. Imagine if that was a factor in your decision when choosing a place to live. "Honey, I'd love to live in Florida, but then we couldn't have our sexy parties..."

In fact, the sections on funerals were also quite enlightening. Did you know that they have to suture the anus shut to prevent any unpleasant leakage during a funeral? Or that dead people can pass gas from the gas trapped in their intestines? Or that they insert special caps under the eyelids to prevent them from suddenly opening? It's all rather fascinating stuff.

"Stiff" is a very interesting read for those who are curious about what happens when you donate your body to science, and Roach's sense of humor helps to lighten the subject matter. Three easy stars.

In spite of the macabre topic, Mary Roach must have had a ball doing her footwork for this book.

Not content with merely gleaning information from published sources, Mary embarked on extensive travels to conduct her research. She managed to have doors opened for her that one would doubt get opened very often.

Let's face it, when your job involves working with the dead, the average person already thinks you're a ghoul. So, it makes sense that those in such occupations would be extremely cautious about allowing someone, especially a reporter, to observe them at work. However, I think her fair and open-minded approach probably broke down barriers very quickly.

Mary, you see, is not the squeamish type. She is more than willing to stroll around a field of rotting corpses or sniff a shovelful of composting human to obtain not only information but also sensation and experience.

Certainly, some work was done in the library. She covers a significant amount of the history of the uses and abuses of dead people, with corpses being used for everything from uncomplaining patients for the instruction of cosmetic surgeons to dangling about as test subjects for new military munitions. But the majority of Mary's work was done on site at the labs, clinics, and mortuaries where dead people tend to congregate.

The result is a fair and honest look at the dead, how we have used them in the past, and what we may have to do in the future to dispose of the millions of people who will be expiring daily.

The book has every right to be sombre, yet it isn't. In fact, Ms Roach approaches the subject with a form of reverent humor that entertains the reader without disparaging the departed. This is a respectful and thorough treatment of the topic. I hereby declare that this is one of the best books I have read this year, and I further declare that Ms Roach is one writer I would love to hoist a pint with some day. I have no doubt she could relate many a fascinating anecdote that didn't make it into print.

I had no inkling that dead bodies could hold such a captivating allure. However, in Mary Roach's deft hands, the topic of what transpires to our physical selves post-mortem becomes a truly page-turning read.

I had always assumed that it simply boiled down to either burial or cremation. But now I am aware that I also have the option of transforming into a crash test dummy, a blob of chemically processed goo, or some nutritious memorial compost.

As this book delves into everything from organ donation to anatomy labs, from cannibalism to the nascent "head transplant" movement, I have learned an astonishingly large number of things. Many of these were not precisely easy to contemplate (I will forever view Chinese medicine differently), but Mary's sharp sense of humor and her ability to maintain a light tone despite the subject matter helped me overcome the parts that I personally found most challenging.

I cannot claim that what I have learned holds much practical value, unless I should ever find myself in the situation of desiring to dispose of a dead body at the bottom of a lake. It turns out that this is not such a great idea, as dogs trained to detect human remains can smell the decomposition gases as they bubble up to the surface. Who would have known?

Upon completing it, however, I can state that this book has caused me to think far more about the possibility of donating my body to science after my passing. While it is not exactly comfortable to read about all the diverse things that are done with donated remains, the wealth of knowledge that has been amassed from those who have made that choice is truly remarkable.

The book concludes with the author's reflection on what to do with her own remains. Her discussion of the impact of that choice on those left behind is valuable reading for anyone considering end-of-life planning, as well as for those with an environmental bent who may not yet have considered the planetary implications of their choice. After all, just because you can be plastinated to endure for 10,000 years like the individuals in Gunther Von Haagen's BodyWorlds exhibitions, that does not necessarily mean that you should.

I've never been squeamish. From when I was a little girl, I wanted to know how things work. And "things" were also living organisms.

Not that I killed off animals to cut them up, mind you, but I started reading non-fiction books very early on and love books about anatomy as much as suspenseful novels about Jack the Ripper to this day.

Therefore, the cover and title of this book instantly appealed to me and I'm pleased to report that the author had a very good way of blending facts with an amicable writing style that was simultaneously precise and slightly humorous (though never in an inappropriate way).

Mary Roach takes us on a journey through the history of medicine. We learn about "cures" from all over the world (including but not limited to placentas and aborted fetuses for a better skin - and you wouldn't believe all the stuff Westerners did, it wasn't just the Chinese) as well as funeral practices through the ages.

Since it's been 16 years!!! since she mentioned the alternative to cremation, I will definitely check out if there are any news on that front. We thus learn how humans in general learned about anatomy, how that changed our understanding of life and death and how we are still sometimes influenced by romantic (and illogical) views today.

This directly ties into human culture around the world and I liked the author all the more for pointing out that what seems strange to us doesn't have to be for others.

I'm not sure I agree about the chapter regarding eating dogs vs eating cows but I get what she was trying to say and I was reminded of the German proverb "In der Not frisst der Teufel sogar Fliegen" ("In dire times, the devil even eats flies") which made the excursion into cannibalism so interesting.

Most interestingly, for me, was Tennessee. I knew about the university there and its project to help forensics by having the "Body Farm" where several human cadavers are kept in various places in different stages of decomposition and loved that she included it in this book as well.

Some might say "yuck" or "ew" but nobody can deny how important forensics are so this is important work and we should be glad there are some people willing to do it!

Equally, though not having known about it before, I was quite intrigued about the Swedish project for human compost. I know the Innuit have the mentality of giving their bodies back to nature (though they are often eaten by polar bears consequently so that's a little different at least), but to actively use dead humans as compost...

The thing is, you can still have a memorial service, but what happens to the body needs to be sustainable when looking at our growing numbers and it should benefit us humans and the planet if at all possible.

And if a loved one wants a special place to remember the deceased, why not use a familiar and important spot? You don't show love and grief by spending more money than anybody else on a wooden casket that rots anyway, flowers that will wilt or by buying a grave or even crypt.

Moreover, once again, this sort of thing just isn't sustainable (it also doesn't matter if you are an ecofriendly person or not, it's just a fact).

Personally, I especially liked the chapter about organ donation or giving your body to science after your death because why not? I myself am an organ donor, but I'll definitely also look into donating my body to science if that is possible here.

Anything's better than just uselessly rotting or being burnt to ash which benefits nobody but the funeral industry. And let's face it: you won't care once you're dead because you'll be gone.

In fact, there is an ongoing debate in my family about this. I, personally, find most funerals disgusting because they are not about the dead but the living.

People showing off clothes and who cries loudest and who bought the most opulent flower arrangement. Later, there is constant arguing over who takes care of the grave and who pays for what. And what for???

If your body can serve to make cars safer or doctors better at their work or your organs can save a life or even several - WHY AREN'T WE ALL DOING THAT?! Because of sensitivities and religion and other stupid notions just like them. Honestly, we should be better by now.

The author is right: crash dummies will only get you so far, just like certain animal bodies (and how sick is it that we are impious when it comes to animals but not when we're talking about the animal homo sapiens?).

Theoretical knowledge, too, will not sufficiently serve a doctor-in-training. I understand why someone would prefer their body to be used to cure cancer instead of helping plastic surgeons but so many scientific breakthroughs came from a corner we didn't expect and whether we're talking about removing gall stones or correcting the angle of a nose, it is surgery so why not help fellow humans?

One other thing: I'm all for treating a body on the table with some respect but people tend to take even that way too far and I was negatively surprised how common that is even amongst doctors and scientists!

You can see, it is a very interesting topic to me and so many others (like religion for example) have influenced pathology and continue to do so (for the moment at least) so I'm sure many will have vastly different views on this topic.

Not that I care. I hope we will continue to develop new ways and to look into what is possible (hands up who enjoyed the chapter about those experiments with severed heads *grins*) so we can evolve further still and maybe shed stupid superstitions.

And yes, I've been meaning to finally get to "Körperwelten" (the exhibition of specially prepared REAL human and animal bodies) by Gunther von Hagen. I see nothing morbid or wrong with it but regard it as a unique opportunity to see the inside of different bodies.

Bonus to the author for mentioning von Hagen and his work as well. A very well-written book full of facts that were presented in a humane way. The author put a lot of effort into this and I learned some very interesting facts.

And like I said in the beginning of this review: while the writing style was respectful, she laced it with just enough slight humour here and there to make reading this book very enjoyable indeed.

This book is quite amusing, yet after getting through the first few chapters, it does become a little dull.

The chapter on human decomposition really grossed me out. And the part about the embalming process and how funeral homes prepare the body was especially fascinating to me. Coincidentally, the evening after reading it, I found myself sitting at a wake. I just couldn't stop thinking about how the eyelids of the dearly departed were held down by a small disk that was pinned into his eyeball to prevent the lids from popping open.

For some reason, I'm not overly interested in crash-test dummies, so I skipped that section. However, the bit about the airplane crash scared me senseless.

Mary Roach's writing voice is strong, and it's clear that she is passionate about the subject matter, but not in a strange or creepy way. She often seems unsure of how much she truly wants to know about these things. I can understand how some readers might be annoyed by all the jokey comments she makes, but it didn't really bother me too much. I interpreted it as a self-conscious effort to ensure that the readers know she's not a creepy person.

Overall, despite its flaws, the book offers some interesting insights and keeps the reader engaged, even if it does have its slow moments.

The documentary card: From traditions and myths, to unprecedented experiments, in a scientific approach, but also an ethical one.

There are quite graphic and macabre passages and stories, for this reason I don't think it is a reading that can be savored/appreciated by everyone.

"[...] 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."

This documentary card offers a unique exploration that delves deep into the mysteries of life and the human condition. It combines scientific research with an ethical perspective, presenting a comprehensive view of our existence. The inclusion of graphic and macabre elements adds a certain intensity to the narrative, making it a thought-provoking and engaging read. However, it may not be suitable for all audiences due to its potentially disturbing nature.

Overall, the documentary card provides a valuable contribution to the field of knowledge, challenging us to question our assumptions and understand the true essence of who we are.

"Stiff" is truly an engaging and enjoyable read! It is highly recommended for those with a scientific curiosity and a penchant for finding delight in the quirky aspects of human behavior. However, it is not suitable for anyone who is even remotely squeamish or for very young and sensitive individuals. Mary Roach presents the topic of how people use cadavers in a manner that is as explicit and factual as that of a pathologist or a medical examiner writing for the general public.

Although I thoroughly liked the book, there were moments when I had to take a break and set it aside. This was not entirely due to squeamishness. Rather, I often needed time to process the astonishing details of historical and contemporary scientific studies and research into anatomy, dying, and decomposition, as well as the diverse methods of using and processing dead people that the author, Mary Roach, unearthed.

Mary Roach frequently employs dry and slapstick humor to discuss the intricate science, pseudo-science, and early-century proto-science that people have been conducting on corpses for hundreds of years. She also travels the world to visit a variety of medical, commercial, and environmentalist laboratories that use either corpses or body parts for experimentation. She delves into the folk beliefs and practices from centuries ago, and even not so long ago, which involved what we would now label as cannibalism, but which these early cultures believed were either ways of spiritually honoring their dead or curing their diseases. The jokes may sometimes elicit groans, but I found them to be more than appropriate and in line with the centuries of human silliness and bizarre yet earnest research about the dead, intermingled with mainstream studies.

Commercial research has utilized corpses to a greater extent than I had imagined! Car manufacturers use them for impact studies to design safe cars. Medical schools require bodies and body parts. Investigators of airplane and other types of crashes often conduct trauma studies on cadavers to determine the likely causes of passenger deaths following disasters. Military services conduct studies on corpses that have been shot. Sports equipment is designed after throwing baseballs and such at dead people. Cadaver dogs need to train with body parts. Embalming techniques are explained. Researchers even know some of which internal body parts experience pain when injured. Illegal uses and past uses of cadavers that are now illegal are also touched upon.

Then there are the early scientists and doctors who were curious about where the soul might reside or simply wanted to know if it was true that guillotined heads lived for a while after being cut off. Sadly, there were also those who experimented with transplanting a dog's head onto another dog, hoping that if it worked, they could transplant a human head onto a braindead body with a still-beating heart. Of course, there were also wallets, false teeth, handbags, etc. made from body parts.

Gentle reader, human, dog, pig, cow, and various other animals' poop have played major roles in early crackpot medicine for human ailments, wounds, and injuries, along with spit, menstrual blood, and urine, for centuries. How on earth did humanity survive these early "cures"? If you have managed to read this far without your gag reflex being triggered, this is a must-read! There is a bibliography included for further exploration.

I have a deep affection for any nonfiction works that revolve around this particular subject. In fact, I am always eager to explore and learn from such materials.

During my reading, I found that the book did provide some valuable and interesting information at certain points. However, I must admit that the commentary by Roach had a somewhat off-putting effect on me.

I had really hoped to have a stronger affinity for this book than I actually did. It's a bit of a bummer, to be honest. I was looking forward to being fully engaged and captivated by the entire experience, but unfortunately, that wasn't entirely the case.

Despite this, I still appreciate the efforts that went into creating the book and the knowledge it attempted to convey. Maybe with a different approach to the commentary, it could have been a more enjoyable read for me.

3,5* - This was truly a rather interesting and highly entertaining read.

At certain moments, it did have a tendency to feel a bit repetitive. However, it more than made up for this minor drawback with its remarkable sense of humor.

The story had a way of engaging the reader from the very beginning and keeping them hooked throughout. The characters were well-developed and added to the overall charm of the narrative.

Despite the occasional repetition, the humor managed to shine through and bring a smile to the reader's face. It was a light-hearted and enjoyable piece that was definitely worth the time spent reading it.

Overall, I would rate this read as a solid 3,5 out of 5 for its entertainment value and ability to make me laugh.

I purchased this book when I initially taught a class that included a forensic anthropology component. I had the idea that I could select a chapter from this book and assign it to my students. I thought it would be a great, informative, and engaging account that would be both entertaining and educational for the layperson. However, due to time limitations, I never got around to reading the book. During that time, several people borrowed and returned the book to me, so my copy is a bit worn and dog-eared, as if I had read it numerous times. After finally reading it once, I can say with certainty that I will not be reading it again.

"Stiff" is a non-fiction "science" writing book. Roach documents the various processes that occur to a human being after death. Each chapter explores a different possible outcome for a person's corpse. She covers topics such as anatomy labs, decay, crash-test and military trials (for safer vehicles or more effective bullets), plane crashes, transplants, burial and cremation, and even cannibalism. The material in this book is endlessly fascinating, and I believe it has a lot of potential.

That being said, I find Mary Roach's writing style extremely irritating, which detracted from the overall effectiveness of the narrative. Much of her writing is somewhat falsely funny, as if she is刻意 trying to inject humor into a situation through the use of ridiculous asides that add no information or further her point.

She also repeatedly resorts to forced bathroom and genitalia jokes to artificially infuse the book with humor. On many occasions, she asks the scientists she interviews about what specifically happens to penile tissues. She then describes the annoyance of some of the scientists with the assumption that the readers will all be giggling along with her. Well, I'm sorry, but I'm on the side of the scientists. I find that kind of thing immature and irritating, like many of the jokes in this book. Another common way she tries to inject humor into her writing is by feigning squeamishness for the sake of her readers.

What bothers me about this is that there are parts of the book that are genuinely funny, where the humor is not forced but simply arises from the situation. There is a description of her first visit to a very small town in China that strongly reminded me of some of my difficulties getting around in small towns in various African countries. There is also a funny commentary about a woman who volunteers to have multiple pap smears so that future ObGyns can practice (a job that I hope pays very, very well). Additionally, there is some really interesting information in this book. I already knew a lot about the use of bodies to determine what happened in plane crashes and the kinds of things that occur in gross anatomy labs. But did you know that males and females have slightly different EEG profiles? And, after a heart transplant, those do not change. Also, did you know that there are many proven ways to make air travel safer, including shoulder harness seat belts, more emergency exits, sprinkler systems, and side airbags for impact, but none of these are being implemented because the airlines don't want to incur the additional costs? There are plenty of such interesting little facts in this book.

The bottom line for me is that there was simply not enough actual science in this science book. I have read many popular science books that have managed to do a much better job of balancing entertainment for the layperson with providing good information. As far as books that tell stories about cadavers, I would recommend any of the popular science books by William Bass or Douglas Ubelaker over this one as they are both more fascinating and more informative.

This book titled "STIFF" truly encompasses all the aspects you've ever desired to know about human cadavers, and likely even a great deal more.

The author's self-deprecating and wry sense of humor serves as a wonderful source of comic relief as one delves into the exploration of topics such as head transplants, cannibalism, and other rather grisly subjects. It's important to note that some of these topics are not for the faint of heart or those easily squeamish.

If you have the inclination to donate your corpse to science and medicine, it would be highly advisable to read up on precisely what will occur to it thereafter. You'll surely be in for a surprise. I know I was.

At any rate, "STIFF" offered a refreshing and welcome change of pace among my summer reads. It provided a unique and engaging perspective on a subject that is often overlooked or avoided, yet is of great significance in the fields of science and medicine.

Overall, it's a book that I would highly recommend to anyone with an interest in learning more about the human body and the various ways in which it is studied and utilized.