Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
Title: Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
Author: Mary Roach
Genre: non-fiction: science, dead people
Rating:
What they said: Links to reviews
What I say:
In driving past a cemetery last week, the conversation went like so:
ERICA: When I die I think I want to be cremated.
ME: I want my body donated to science.
CHAPIN: I want to be fed to the hungry.
At the time we all laughed uproariously, but upon further thought this would not be an entirely unusual (at least in an historical context) use for one's mortal remains. Indeed, dead humans have been met a number of needs in the medical, scientific, and religious communities many of which are more shocking than feeding the hungry.
Who knew dead people could be so engaging? Mary Roach, a respected and thoroughly intriguing science writer suspected it and set out to prove her theory.
In this well-researched (and thoroughly funny) book, Roach explores the various fates of human cadavers through the ages. She delves into medical and anatomical research, organ donation, the heroism of crash test corpses, the many uses for the human head (including transplantation), as well as things to do with your body when you're dead. As a pacifist I may not be completely at ease with the idea of my body being used for ballistics research, but I silently salute those whose bodies have.
The last couple of chapters dealt with the various ways of disposing of one's body, from burial to cremation, from brain banking to plastination. She even dedicates a large portion of a chapter to composting, perhaps the disposal means of the future.
What will I do? I enjoy the idea of plastination and subsequent use as an anatomy teaching aid, though also am a big proponent of body composting. As Roach discusses, however, what is done with a body should be decided by the survivors' comfort and not a dead person's selfish wish.
~a m i~
Author: Mary Roach
Genre: non-fiction: science, dead people
Rating:
What they said: Links to reviews
What I say:
In driving past a cemetery last week, the conversation went like so:
ERICA: When I die I think I want to be cremated.
ME: I want my body donated to science.
CHAPIN: I want to be fed to the hungry.
At the time we all laughed uproariously, but upon further thought this would not be an entirely unusual (at least in an historical context) use for one's mortal remains. Indeed, dead humans have been met a number of needs in the medical, scientific, and religious communities many of which are more shocking than feeding the hungry.
Who knew dead people could be so engaging? Mary Roach, a respected and thoroughly intriguing science writer suspected it and set out to prove her theory.
In this well-researched (and thoroughly funny) book, Roach explores the various fates of human cadavers through the ages. She delves into medical and anatomical research, organ donation, the heroism of crash test corpses, the many uses for the human head (including transplantation), as well as things to do with your body when you're dead. As a pacifist I may not be completely at ease with the idea of my body being used for ballistics research, but I silently salute those whose bodies have.
The last couple of chapters dealt with the various ways of disposing of one's body, from burial to cremation, from brain banking to plastination. She even dedicates a large portion of a chapter to composting, perhaps the disposal means of the future.
What will I do? I enjoy the idea of plastination and subsequent use as an anatomy teaching aid, though also am a big proponent of body composting. As Roach discusses, however, what is done with a body should be decided by the survivors' comfort and not a dead person's selfish wish.
~a m i~
posted by miss canada @ 6:51 PM
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