The Scientific Lives of the Dead

By Fianna T.

Everyone says that death is depressing, which, admittedly, it is. However, prepare to take a whole different approach to the prospect of death with Mary Roach, author of the nonfiction book, Stiff. Laughter might not be what you're expecting when reading a book on dead bodies, but Roach manages to do just that. With her sharp wit, along with her interesting research, Stiff is a fascinating book that will leave readers hanging on to each word, no matter how appalling they may be.

Stiff is a book about the "lives" dead bodies have when they're donated to science. Roach gleefully covers merry topics throughout this book, such as practicing surgery on the dead, embalming, body snatching, the process of decay, human crash test dummies, crucifixion experiments, live burials, human head transplants, and cannibalism. As the reader flips through the pages, they find themselves following Roach through her gross investigations of the cadavers, and all of their uses in learning about the human body.

Roach's writing style is addicting and strangely unique. The author possesses the ability of being able to make the most disgusting things seem humorous and readable. Roach manages to ask and answer questions often best left unspoken, but still does this respectfully. While she stays on topic and focused the scientific aspects, she never leaves out the normal human responses too. However, although Roach is an amazing author, there is a sense that the beginning of the book is much stronger than the ending. The opening of the first chapter hooks readers in immediately and pulls them through the science of dead bodies. After putting the book down, the reader still gets satisfaction in what they have learned, but also have a need for a better ending.  

This is my first work that I've read by Mary Roach, and I can definitely say that I enjoyed reading this book a lot more than I thought. I normally prefer to read fiction/fantasy books, but this book let me know that not every nonfiction book is boring, and opened me up to new genres. I love how Roach can take touchy and gross subjects, treat the topic seriously, but still manage to keep a sense of humor about them. I liked this book a lot, and I'm planning on reading her other works, such as Packing for Mars. I recommend this book to anybody who is looking for a new take on science, and for those who have a strong stomach in facing the rather gross (but still fascinating) details of the use of corpses for knowledge.

Stiff, by Mary Roach, W. W. Norton & Company, 303 pages