Stiff
The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
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Stiff
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Narrated by:
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Shelly Frasier
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By:
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Mary Roach
About this listen
For two thousand years, cadavers (some willingly, some unwittingly) have been involved in science's boldest strides and weirdest undertakings. They've tested France's first guillotines, 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 way.
In this fascinating, ennobling account, Mary Roach visits the good deeds of cadavers over the centuries from the anatomy labs and human-sourced pharmacies of medieval and nineteenth-century Europe to a human decay research facility in Tennessee, to a plastic surgery practice lab, to a Scandinavian funeral directors' conference on human composting. In her droll, inimitable voice, Roach tells the engrossing story of our bodies when we are no longer with them.
©2003 Mary Roach (P)2003 Tantor Media, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
Editor reviews
Critic reviews
- Alex Award Winner, 2004
"Uproariously funny....informative and respectful...irreverent and witty....impossible to put down." (Publishers Weekly)
"Not grisly but inspiring, this work considers the many valuable scientific uses of the body after death." (Library Journal)
"One of the funniest and most unusual books of the year." (Entertainment Weekly)
What listeners say about Stiff
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- kimstories
- 23-07-19
Loved this
I absolutely loved this book
and was occasionally horrified by it. Maggots are not my thing, even if you call them hacienda.
This might be my book for Popsugar prompt 2: A debut novel, as it was Roach's first.
What a fascinating journey through the options for your body once you no longer need it. The waste of a body going into the ground or up in smoke has always disturbed me, so I was ready for this book. There are so many way better ways to use the flesh no longer needed by you once you have died---so so many better uses.
This book is probably the only example of Edutainment I have ever really found. Other productions claim to be, but this is the real deal. I laughed, I grimaced and I learnt. Roach is funny but also respectful of her topic. She provides the options with little or no judgement - although I was glad to read we share a shiver and shudder when it comes to maggots.
I liked that Roach managed to be respectful of the process of death and those left behind, but felt that once the mortal coil was shuffled off from, it was then no longer the person it was, and shouldn't be treated as though it was. However, she also concedes that the living left behind are the ones who should get to decide what happens to a body for they have to continue living with that decision.
I particularly loved her idea that cadavers are superheros 'Cadavers are our superheroes. They brave fire without flinching, withstand falls from tall buildings and head-on car crashes into walls'
I want my body be a super hero instead of a puff of smoke.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Barbara Comerford
- 29-08-21
Entertaining and informative. Not at all goulish.
A lot of care and attention taken to write this book. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I learnt a lot about how cadavers are treated.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Louise
- 14-06-24
Engaging
The book is really interesting and well narrated.
I found the chapter on animal experiments rather difficult to get through.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 18-01-21
Loved it
Raises some interesting ideas. very easy listening, would definitely recommend if this is your sort of thing
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- S. Claridge
- 11-02-23
Fascinating!
This is a great book...although probably not if you're squeamish.
A humorous journey through the...well...life of a corpse through the ages and across cultures.
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- Jessica
- 16-12-24
Funny and informative
Another enjoyable book by Mary Roach. Full of interesting and memorable facts, an accessible book on a difficult subject matter without being morbid or awkward.
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- Hannah
- 05-03-20
Infinitely better than Blue Peter
I had no idea I could be so handy as a cadaver. Down to earth, warm yet still sensitive and respectful of the subject matter. I highly recommend
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- Samantha cross
- 05-11-22
Interesting and informative
You would think this may be a gory or squeamish book but instead it is interesting and respectful. It helps you to see another side of “life’s” after death many of us give little thought too . I would highly recommend this book
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- Mrs. Celia M. Winstanley
- 31-08-24
Listen with an open mind
I learned so much and the book actually made me feel better about what may happen to my body one way or another, after I die. There were quite a few la la la , listen with one eye closed moments but mostly just extremely interesting.
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- Martin Webb
- 22-06-24
funny, insightful and interesting (not for the squeamish)
Mary Roach is the best science writer out there, I suffer from OCD and was having a really hard time processing my personal feelings on death and what it means to die, having lost farther a few years back a family emergency brought some feelings I had been avoiding back to the surface of my mind and I have been struggling with compulsive thoughts, whilst I'm not completely comfortable with the subject that I will one day die and what that means, this book has given me a lot to think about, it's dark and morbid but brilliant and is insightful, I highly recommend as long as you not squeamish!
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