Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

Book Review by Joel
I heard of this book while listening to NPR’s “Talk of The Nation”. She was being interviewed for her newest book Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife. This book is a look at what happens to cadavers and the people who study them. It also goes into the history of the study of anatomy, and how we learned what we know about it. I always took it for granted that we learned basic anatomy in Phys Ed way back when. Reading this book shows how those Phys Ed teachers and 20th century doctors learned how the human body works, and how new doctors and surgeons get to practice without having to cut on live patients.

She also shows how the history of cadaver retrieval has evolved from grave robbers dragging barely dead corpses into anatomy professor’s homes to the donation system today. She also talks about a new form of “burial” that is getting attention in Sweden.

What is really interesting about this book is the fact that she treats the subject with a real respect and also has a good wry sense of humor. So even as she doesn't wince at all when describing some gruesome scenery, I found myself laughing out loud. I'd look around and people were looking at me. I'd just say, ”Hey! It’s a book about corpses. What's not to love?" And they'd leave me alone.

I would recommend this book. And I would recommend her next book Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife, which I am reading now.

Joel.