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Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
Registered by rem_THK-795888 on 1/6/2004
13 journalers for this copy...
From the inside cover:
For two thousand years, cadavers -- some willingly, some unwittingly -- have been involved in science's boldest strides and weirdest undertakings. They helped test France's first guillotines, answering the question, "Is the severed head aware of its circumstances, however momentarily?" They helped evaluate the army's new rifles in 1904, standing as targets before researchers' guns. They've 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, sundered way.
In this fascinating account, Mary Roach visits the good deeds of cadavers over the centuries -- from the anantomy labs and human -sourced pharmacies of medieval and nineteenth-century Europe to a human-decay research facility at the University of Tennessee (a.k.a. the "Body Farm"), a plastic surgery practice lab, and a Scandinavian funeral directors' conference on the utopian future of human composting. In her droll, inimitable voice, Roach tells the engrossing story of our bodies when we are no longer in them.
For two thousand years, cadavers -- some willingly, some unwittingly -- have been involved in science's boldest strides and weirdest undertakings. They helped test France's first guillotines, answering the question, "Is the severed head aware of its circumstances, however momentarily?" They helped evaluate the army's new rifles in 1904, standing as targets before researchers' guns. They've 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, sundered way.
In this fascinating account, Mary Roach visits the good deeds of cadavers over the centuries -- from the anantomy labs and human -sourced pharmacies of medieval and nineteenth-century Europe to a human-decay research facility at the University of Tennessee (a.k.a. the "Body Farm"), a plastic surgery practice lab, and a Scandinavian funeral directors' conference on the utopian future of human composting. In her droll, inimitable voice, Roach tells the engrossing story of our bodies when we are no longer in them.
This book was interesting, well-written, well-researched, and funny. I thought I might get squeamish at some of the items in the book when I first picked it up. However, the author has quite a unique way of relating something gross in a matter-of-fact and amusing way. She delves into most of what human cadavers are used for if they are donated to science ... from gross anatomy lessons to crash-test dummies. A portion of the book goes into "beating-heart cadavers" -- those people that are brain dead but the rest of their bodies are being kept alive through a breathing machine. The last third of the book covers what becomes of us if we choose not to be donated to science. She brings up interesting ways that a dead body can be disposed of. In the end, after all her research, emotion still makes her decide what she wants done with her body after she leaves it.
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers BookRay
| BX Id | Ship? | Location | Status |
| pashmack | US/CA | Florida | Received,read,mailed |
| weeblet | US | Virginia | Received,read,mailed |
| princessaurora | US | Pennsylvania | Received,read,mailed |
| yourotherleft | US/CA | Pennsylvania | Received,read, mailed |
| ottoshumato | US/CA | Massachusetts | skipped |
| silentdormouse | US/CA | Michigan | skipped |
| Stensler | US/CA | Wisconsin | Received,read,mailed |
| mysterfan03 | INTL | Missouri | skipped |
| casseytara | INTL | Oklahoma | Received,read,mailed |
| First-Noel | US/CA | Texas | Received,read,mailed |
| caligula03 | INTL | California | Received,read,mailed |
| davenred | US/CA/EU | Alberta, Canada | Received,read,mailed |
| Arwen-Galadriel | INTL | Alberta, Canada | Received,read,mailed |
| brewster13 | US/CA | Manitoba, Canada | Received,read,mailed |
| amaradevinmom | INTL | US Military Base | Received,read |
| Erbie | INTL | Netherlands | please skip |
| samulli | EU | United Kingdom | |
| Scarlett17 | EU | United Kingdom | |
| Mytilus | INTL | United Kingdom | |
| newk | INTL | Australia | |
| murmurrr | AUS | Australia |
Just received this from yvi-1. I'm going to quickly finish the book I'm currently engrossed in and get started with this asap. Looks like it's going to be a fun read. Thanks yvi-1!
What a great book. It was morbid, fascinating, educational, and funny- all at the same time. The author has a wonderful sense of comedic timing, yet remains sensitive and respectful. The only time I felt myself wincing was when she mentioned Spalding Gray a couple of times. But, of course, she had no way of knowing what was to become of him when she wrote the lines. All in all, an entertaining and very informative read. Thank you yvi-1. Tomorrow Stiff hits the road, on its way to weeblet.
got it! i'm very excited about this one, but i have a book ahead of it. i shall be moving 'stiff' along in a timely fashion, however. never fear... ;)and THANKS for the goodies pashmack!
i *loved* this book! her editorial asides were hilarious, and she often answered questions i had right as i posed them, for example the cosmetic surgery heads. i don't think that's what i would want my parts used for...i mean c'mon- let's save some lives first.
the 'crimes of anatomy' chapter was populated with some characters from 'the dress lodger', another book i enjoyed very much.
not much in here disturbed me, but i found some of the animal experimentation to be a little more than i could take, and the laundry list of grocery items that contain gelatin was a tad suprising :P
for your browsing (and planning!) pleasure:
http://www.promessa.se/index_en.asp
Body Worlds slideshow!!
http://snipurl.com/7i2p
for tickets and venue info:
http://www.korperwelten.de/en/pages/home.asp
thanks for sharing :)
**mailing 5/11**
the 'crimes of anatomy' chapter was populated with some characters from 'the dress lodger', another book i enjoyed very much.
not much in here disturbed me, but i found some of the animal experimentation to be a little more than i could take, and the laundry list of grocery items that contain gelatin was a tad suprising :P
for your browsing (and planning!) pleasure:
http://www.promessa.se/index_en.asp
Body Worlds slideshow!!
http://snipurl.com/7i2p
for tickets and venue info:
http://www.korperwelten.de/en/pages/home.asp
thanks for sharing :)
**mailing 5/11**
Received today in the mail. Can't wait to read this! I have to finish the bookring book I'm reading now, but it won't be long at all. Thanks weeblet :) and thanks to yvi-1 for offering this as a bookray! :)
This book was both funny and educational. (I was actually surprised by how educational it was. I think I was expecting non-stop jokes.) The only part that creeped me out was when she wrote about people consuming parts of others. I can't stand anything that even hints at cannibalism. Blecch... Other than that, I thought it was a great book and I hope everyone else in the ray enjoys it.
On its way to Yourotherleft--mailed 6/12.
On its way to Yourotherleft--mailed 6/12.
This came in the mail today. I'll read it and pass it on ASAP. Thanks!
This was a very interesting book. I learned a lot and had a few laughs, too! I especially liked chapter 8, How To Know if You're Dead. Very informative, but also a few hilarious moments! But I definitely have to admit that the chapter about the cannibalism was the only one that was a little too gruesome for me.
I'll be sending this on as soon as I get an address.
I'll be sending this on as soon as I get an address.
I haven't received a response from silentdormouse, and I leave on vacation today, so this is going out in the mail to Stensler before I leave.
Received in the mail today, can't wait to start reading it.
This came in the mail today. I notice that the last journaller was stensler, but mysteryfan03 is ahead of me, and I can't remember now which one of them contacted me for my address, so I don't know if mysteryfan03 got skipped or never journalled.
Anyway, I have a couple of book ring books I'm reading now, and then this will be next. This is one of the few rings that I've been kinda checking on now and again, to see when it would get to me, so I'm looking forward to reading it!
Anyway, I have a couple of book ring books I'm reading now, and then this will be next. This is one of the few rings that I've been kinda checking on now and again, to see when it would get to me, so I'm looking forward to reading it!
What an incredible book! Who would think that reading about cadavers could be so interesting? The author has a wonderful sense of humor, I actually laughed out loud a couple of times, which caused those around me to look at me funny. I will admit, however, that while at work one day, when I started to eat my lunch, I put this book away and read something else! I think I need a copy of this for my PC. Thanks yvi-1 for starting this ring! And thanks to BookCrossing, because otherwise I probably never would have heard of this book!
Mailing to the next person today!
Mailing to the next person today!
Received this one today. Wow! It's finally here! I keep looking at it on the shelves at the bookstore but I'm too much of a cheap-skate to buy a hardcover on blind faith. Thank Yv-1 for everything. I've already started reading it and it will most likely be on it's way next payday. two weeks from now.
I've been wanting to read this book for about 2 years since a local DJ gave a very enthusiastic review about it. I will read it as soon as I can. :)
The book was as good, perhaps better, than the radio reviews I've heard. The book is fascinating. I knew of some of the ways that cadavers are used in research and teaching but I still learned a lot of things. Roach writes in a humorous and informative way. Each chapter focuses on a different way in which cadavers are useful to the living or how they are treated by the living. The book in its style and to some degree it's subject is similar to The Mummy Congress; so if you liked Stiff then you'll like the other.
Released 19 yrs ago (2/5/2005 UTC) at
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Mailing to davenred on Saturday.
Mailing to davenred on Saturday.
Just got this one and will start on it tonight...it looks pretty neat, and I will rate it when finished...thanks for putting me on your bookray!
First, thanks so much to yvi-1 for offering this one on a bookray. It was a great read. Books that make you go hmmmm....this is one of them. I really don't know how to properly describe it. Like driving by an accident, you don't want to look, but can't help yourself. It is a real eye opener as to how much and in how many ways those courageous people who will their bodies to science get used to help mankind. I really don't think I can ever look at a dead body at a funeral the same way again, I will be looking for signs of embalming now. EEEWWW!!!! What happens during creamation, I think I was better off not knowing! I found myself envisioning the poor crash test dummy guy, in his tights, slumping over like slapstick humour. I really didn't know what to expect with this book, but wasn't expecting to learn so much, thought it was more of a humorous book somehow, that it wouldn't be so thouroughly researched. Bravo to the author to have had the kahunas to write on such a topic....serious yet funny, morbid yet educational. Caught between put it away/keep reading...must stop reading/can't stop reading...am I twisted to have enjoyed it/if I recommend it do people think I'm weird? Oh hell, who cares what they think...
Journal Entry 21 by davenred at -- Controlled Release in Edmonton, Alberta Canada on Saturday, April 9, 2005
Released 19 yrs ago (4/8/2005 UTC) at -- Controlled Release in Edmonton, Alberta Canada
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
On it's way to Arwen-Galadriel. Enjoy!
On it's way to Arwen-Galadriel. Enjoy!
Received the other night. I am almost finished the bookray book that I have right now and will start this one as soon as I am done. Thanks for sharing!
I finished the book this afternoon and will be mailing off as soon as I get the address to send to.
I loved this book! I thought it was funny, well-written and I could not put it down. This will probably end up being one of those books that I recommend to people without hesistation. Some of the other books that she mentioned I would love to go out and read as well (just what I need, more books on my TBR pile!). I can't really say that I had a favorite part, but the cannibalism part did make me a little squimish. Thanks for sharing!!!
I loved this book! I thought it was funny, well-written and I could not put it down. This will probably end up being one of those books that I recommend to people without hesistation. Some of the other books that she mentioned I would love to go out and read as well (just what I need, more books on my TBR pile!). I can't really say that I had a favorite part, but the cannibalism part did make me a little squimish. Thanks for sharing!!!
Update - Will be sending the book along its journey tonight!
Received in the mail - I've been awaiting for this book, very curious to read it!! Thanks for sharing...
UPDATE June 10 -- I started reading this book last night, and am anxious to get back to it. Will journal again when finished.
UPDATE June 10 -- I started reading this book last night, and am anxious to get back to it. Will journal again when finished.
This was quite an enjoyable book - I found it very interesting, and appreciated Roach's humor (she kept me giggling throughout). What I will miss the most about reading this book however, is the look on people's faces when I answer their question "What are you reading now?" It was quite comical to watch the myriad of facial expressions when I said "Oh a book on the lives of human cadavers" !!
Thank you for the opportunity to read this yvi1, and my apologies for keeping this book for so long. It will be in the mail asap -- I will note in here the date that it's sent! Brew
Thank you for the opportunity to read this yvi1, and my apologies for keeping this book for so long. It will be in the mail asap -- I will note in here the date that it's sent! Brew
In the mail (surface) on Saturday July 16. Enjoy!
Thanks again yvi-1 for sharing!!
Thanks again yvi-1 for sharing!!
I received this book and found it a very interesting read. Learned a lot of things about cadavers that I didn't know. Sorry for not journaling earlier things have been totally hectic here. Will be pming the next in line and getting it mailed off.
After several attempts to contact the last person who had the book, I have gotten no response. I believe this bookring is now dead. Thank you to all who participated.
