Susan Adams - Forbes
Acutely entertaining, morbidly fascinating.
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
by Mary Roach
- ISBN: 0756983673
- ISBN-13: 9780756983673
- Pub. date: 05/28/2004
- Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc
Hardcover
Temporarily Out of Stock Online
21.39
Out Of Stock
"One of the funniest and most unusual books of the year....Gross, educational, and unexpectedly sidesplitting."—Entertainment WeeklyStiff is an oddly compelling, often hilarious exploration of the strange lives of our bodies postmortem. For two thousand years, cadavers—some willingly, some unwittingly—have been involved in science's boldest strides and weirdest undertakings. In this fascinating account, Mary Roach visits the good deeds of cadavers over the centuries and tells the engrossing story of our bodies when we are no longer with them.
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Gilbert Taylor - Booklist
Roach writes in an insouciant style and displays her métier in tangents about bizarre incidents in pathological history. Death may have the last laugh, but, in the meantime, Roach finds merriment in the macabre.Brian Richard Boylan - Denver Post
Mary Roach is one of an endangered species: a science writer with a sense of humor. She is able to make macabre funny without looting death of its dignity.Adam Woog - Seattle Times
Roach is authoritative, endlessly curious and drolly funny. Her research is scrupulous and winningly presented.Roy Rivenburg - Los Angeles Times
As weird as the book gets, Roach manages to convey a sense of respect and appreciation for her subjects.Michael Little - Washington City Paper
A laugh-out-loud funny book... one of those wonderful books that offers up enlightenment in the guise of entertainment.Tara Parker-Pope - Wall Street Journal
This quirky, funny read offers perspective and insight about life, death and the medical profession.... You can close this book with an appreciation of the miracle that the human body really is.From the Publisher
"Not grisly but inspiring, this work considers the many valuable scientific uses of the body after death." —Library JournalSusan Orlean
Droll, dark, and quite wise, Stiff makes being dead funny and fascinating and weirdly appealing.Caleb Carr
As fascinating as it is funny.... The research is admirable, the anecdotes carefully chosen, and the prose lively; and they combine to produce a book that everyone in the health care field should have to read, and everyone else will want to.”William R Wineke - Wisconsin State Journal
A fascinating book and, once you pick it up, you won't likely put it down.Kim Colton - Willamette Week
Roach...goes into gruesome detail, but she also succeeds in not making the subject at hand too morbid.Ana Marie Cox - Washington Post
Our own instinctive discomfort with death provides fodder for Roach's dry sense of humor throughout the bookWashington City Paper
A laugh-out-loud funny book....one of those wonderful books that offers enlightenment in the guise of entertainment.Les Simpson - Time Out New York
Roach's dry, irreverent wit makes for a delightful—though never disrespectful—read.Erica C Barnett - The Stranger
An unflinching, often hilarious cultural history.Nancy Summers - Tampa Tribune & Times
[Roach] has written a curiously funny, touching and respectful study.Adam Wong - Seattle Times
Delightful....authoritative, endlessly curious and drolly funny.Science News
[Roach's] firsthand accounts of places and people make this a captivating look at life after death.Howard S Pitkow - Science Books and Films
Well written, with a reader-friendly format.Jill Wolfson - San Jose Mercury News
[Roach] manages to make material that normally comes with a warning for the faint-hearted somehow light-hearted.Matt Palmquist - San Francisco Weekly
Every page fairly drips with dark humor.San Francisco Chronicle
Fascinating and oddly fun.Tim Redmond - San Francisco Bay Guardian
A joy to read....this is wonderful stuff.Michael Jaffee - San Antonio Express-News
Lively and quirky....the writer's style is genuinely warm...she has a keen eye for observation of unique and ironic details.Deborah Love - Richmond Times-Dispatch
[Roach] artfully and humorously unwraps the mystery of the dead body....an interesting and informative read.Bridget Kinsella - PW Daily
Expect the insightful with the hilarious.B.T. Shaw - Portland Oregonian
What saves the subject matter from intolerable gruesomeness is Roach. Her interest is genuine, despite her droll tone.Donald A Collins - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Genuinely funny and destined to be a classic read.T.D. Mobley-Martinez - Philadelphia News
Roach traces the use of the cadaver...and describes odd, behind-the-scenes moments perfect to halt all discussion at dinner.Justin Bauer - Philadelphia City Paper
A quick and compelling, if slightly uneasy, read.Alex Abramovich - People Magazine
Roach's conversational tone and her gallows humor bring her subjects to life....Morbidly entertaining.Outside
[A] mordantly witty history of the scientific contributions made by the no-longer-living.Tom Lynch - New City
Roach's deliberate carefulness diminishes the topic's gore and sets a comfortable, comic tone that finds solace in its own oddity.Netsurfer.com
A funny but never disrespectful look at the curious world of cadaver research.Laurence A Marschall - Natural History
Mary Roach is an extremely funny science writerSusan Ellis - Memphis Flyer
Bizarrely entertaining.Roy Rivenberg - Los Angeles Times Book Review
It's a rare talent that can make people want to throw up and laugh at the same time.Los Angeles Times
As weird as the book gets, Roach manages to convey a sense of respect and appreciation for her subjects.Joseph H Davis
The numerous tidbits of information derived from the author's travels and interviews make [this book] uniquely appealing.Lisa Parsons - Hippo Press
Roach is a masterful writer....Irreverent? Maybe a little. Disrespectful? Emphatically no.Bruce Willey - Good Times Magazine
Well-written and deadly funny.Tom Pantera - Forum
An informative, gently funny but never irreverent look at the various uses society makes of the dead.Forbes
Acutely entertaining, morbidly fascinating.Discover Magazine
A fascinating survey of the data yielded by corpses both medieval and modern.Katy Human - Detroit Free Press
Whimsical, hysterical and terribly interesting.Fred Bortz - Dallas Morning News
Though the cover...will draw many readers to this book, its deft prose will keep them returning.Tom Westin - Daily Yomiuri
[Roach's] knack for detailed research and loose Dave Barry-ish style makes Stiff a leisurely and enjoyable read.”Mary Morrison - Coral Gables Gazette
This bizarre tome will shock, disgust, intrigue and entertain you all at the same time.Dean Narcisco - Columbus Dispatch
Her morbid subject—perverse, unsettling and voyeuristic—makes her book hard to put down.Steve Fiffer - Chicago Tribune
Bring[s] alive a subject that has the potential to be deadly dull.Henry Kisor - Chicago Sun-Times
Every detail is fascinating.Rick Mathis - Chattanooga Times Free Press
Surprisingly entertaining. Similar in tone to Bill Bryson's travel books, Roach manages to be humorous yet respectful.Austin American-Statesman
Roach saw some macabre things, but she describes them with respect and irresistible humor.Craig McLaughlin - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
A very funny book....full of surprises.American Scientist
Roach exhibits both a keen sense of humor and a sincere respect for the dearly departed.Los Angeles Times Book Review
It's a rare talent that can make people want to throw up and laugh at the same time.”— Roy RivenbergChattanooga Times Free Press
Surprisingly entertaining. Similar in tone to Bill Bryson's travel books, Roach manages to be humorous yet respectful.”— Rick MathisSan Francisco Bay Guardian
A joy to read....this is wonderful stuff.”— Tim RedmondPittsburgh Tribune-Review
Genuinely funny and destined to be a classic read.”— Donald A CollinsArkansas Democrat-Gazette
A very funny book....full of surprises.”— Craig McLaughlinSan Antonio Express-News
Lively and quirky....the writer's style is genuinely warm...she has a keen eye for observation of unique and ironic details.”— Michael JaffeeWisconsin State Journal
A fascinating book and, once you pick it up, you won't likely put it down.”— William R WinekeScience Books and Films
Well written, with a reader-friendly format.”— Howard S PitkowRichmond Times-Dispatch
[Roach] artfully and humorously unwraps the mystery of the dead body....an interesting and informative read.”— Deborah LovePhiladelphia City Paper
A quick and compelling, if slightly uneasy, read.”— Justin BauerTampa Tribune & Times
[Roach] has written a curiously funny, touching and respectful study.”— Nancy SummersSan Jose Mercury News
[Roach] manages to make material that normally comes with a warning for the faint-hearted somehow light-hearted.”— Jill WolfsonSan Francisco Weekly
Every page fairly drips with dark humor.”— Matt PalmquistCoral Gables Gazette
This bizarre tome will shock, disgust, intrigue and entertain you all at the same time.”— Mary MorrisonGood Times Magazine
Well-written and deadly funny.”— Bruce WilleyDallas Morning News
Though the cover...will draw many readers to this book, its deft prose will keep them returning.”— Fred BortzPortland Oregonian
What saves the subject matter from intolerable gruesomeness is Roach. Her interest is genuine, despite her droll tone.”— B.T. ShawDetroit Free Press
Whimsical, hysterical and terribly interesting.”— Katy HumanTime Out New York
Roach's dry, irreverent wit makes for a delightful—though never disrespectful—read.”— Les SimpsonPhiladelphia News
Roach traces the use of the cadaver...and describes odd, behind-the-scenes moments perfect to halt all discussion at dinner.Columbus Dispatch
Her morbid subject—perverse, unsettling and voyeuristic—makes her book hard to put down.”— Dean NarciscoChicago Sun-Times
Every detail is fascinating.”— Henry KisorWillamette Week
Roach...goes into gruesome detail, but she also succeeds in not making the subject at hand too morbid.”— Kim ColtonWashington Post
Our own instinctive discomfort with death provides fodder for Roach's dry sense of humor throughout the book”— Ana Marie CoxPeople Magazine
Roach's conversational tone and her gallows humor bring her subjects to life....Morbidly entertaining.”— Alex AbramovichNatural History
Mary Roach is an extremely funny science writer”— Laurence A MarschallChicago Tribune
Bring[s] alive a subject that has the potential to be deadly dull.”— Steve Fiffer Seattle Times
Delightful....authoritative, endlessly curious and drolly funny.”— Adam WongMemphis Flyer
Bizarrely entertaining.”— Susan EllisDaily Yomiuri
[Roach's] knack for detailed research and loose Dave Barry-ish style makes Stiff a leisurely and enjoyable read.”— Tom WestinThe Stranger
An unflinching, often hilarious cultural history.”— Erica C BarnettDenver Post
Outrageously funny, irreverent"—but respectful....so delightfully written, this book is difficult to put down.”— Brian Richard BoylanNew City
Roach's deliberate carefulness diminishes the topic's gore and sets a comfortable, comic tone that finds solace in its own oddity.”— Tom LynchBooklist
Roach displays her metier in tangents about bizarre incendents in pathological history.”— Gilbert TaylorStaff Forum
An informative, gently funny but never irreverent look at the various uses society makes of the dead.”— Tom Pantera