Stiff ~ Mary Roach

This was meant to be my 'Science' reading for the week.  It's actually pretty compelling stuff.  I'm not done yet, but I'm enjoying it so much that I want to share.

Mary Roach used to write travel novels, but there's only so many places to go.  She decided to start investigating things closer to home.

For the most part this book is rather respectful.  She starts up describing her own experience with the death of her mother, and her own belief that cadavers are not people.

The only really objectionable chapter, for me, was the beginning of Holy Cadaver (Chapter 7).  It describes a French scientist's attempts at proving the shroud of Turin.  I found that chapter to be too much.

Otherwise, I am loving this book, learning plenty of random facts (did you know that some cadavers are used in plastic surgery...  never knew 'organ donation' meant donating to the bulking up of some man's organ, iykwIm), and keeping my husband on his toes while I fire out tidbits here and there.

I'm not sure if you'll recognize her name, but you may recognize her face.  This is Mary Roach.  I've read so many articles by her, and I did not realize it was the same Mary Roach until I saw the author's picture on the back.