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Stiff

The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
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( 226,500 ratings, 18,446 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Stiff by Mary Roach delves into the intriguing world of human cadavers and their various uses in science and research. With a blend of humour and respect, the author explores how bodies contribute to medical advancements, forensic studies, and even crash tests, providing a fascinating look at death's role in the service of life. It’s an insightful exploration that makes science accessible while highlighting the unexpected ways in which cadavers have furthered our understanding of the human body.
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Format: Paperback / softback

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by the quirky and often humorous side of science. It explores the intriguing and sometimes unexpected roles of human cadavers throughout history and in scientific research, offering a curious blend of humour, respect, and insight into what happens to our bodies post-mortem. This book appeals to those with an interest in anatomy, history, and the bizarre, wrapped in a witty narrative.

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Stiff

Beloved, best-selling science writer Mary Roach’s “acutely entertaining, morbidly fascinating” (Susan Adams, Forbes) classic, now with a new epilogue.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

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 confirmation surgery, cadavers have helped make history in their quiet way. Delightful—though never disrespectful (Les Simpson, Time Out New York), Stiff investigates the strange lives of our bodies postmortem and answers the question: What should we do after we die?

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. —Tara Parker-Pope, Wall Street Journal

Gross, educational, and unexpectedly sidesplitting.Entertainment Weekly

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Stiff by Mary Roach is praised for its engaging and humorous exploration of life, death, and the human body. Reviewers appreciate Roach's ability to balance wit with respect for her subjects, providing enlightening entertainment. Her scrupulous research is complemented by an insouciant style, making the macabre both funny and dignified.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780393881721

Publisher: WW Norton & Co

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 07 September 2021

Country: United States

Imprint: WW Norton & Co

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 20.0mm

Width: 140.0mm

Height: 211.0mm

Weight: 252g

Pages: 320

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About the Author

Mary Roach is the author of five best-selling works of nonfiction, including Grunt, Stiff, and, most recently, Fuzz. Her writing has appeared in National Geographic and the New York Times Magazine, among other publications. She lives in Oakland, California.

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