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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
informative
fast-paced
I can’t remember where I heard about this book, but I remember it having great reviews. Despite the strange topic, I decided to give it a try. After finishing it, I still think it’s a strange topic, albeit written in a surprisingly witty and entertaining way. I still can’t get over the often disturbing and gruesome descriptions included in the book, and I’m convinced a lot of the content is fabricated or at the very least, the more mundane content was omitted.
Highly interesting, also highly gross. It wasn't nearly as unsettling as I expected it to be (though some of the experiments mentioned did cause a kind of existential horror) and it was informative. I don't have any better ideas as to what I want done with me after I die, aside from the obvious organ donation if it's possible. I'm hoping finishing this book will take me away from the morbid streak I've been on lately. So, Bonk will be the next book I read from Mary Roach. It's all about the most life-affirming activity there is!!
dark
informative
medium-paced
Made the terrible mistake of eating rice crispies while reading the body farm chapter. Still feel a bit ill.
dark
funny
informative
fast-paced
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this fascinating book about the "life" of our bodies after we die. Roach really went the distance in order to bring us this wealth of facts, stories, bits of history and detailed descriptions of all the ways cadavers contribute to humanity. My only complaint was Roach gets a little too cutesy with the jokes sometimes. I liked the anecdotal parts of the book and how much of her personal experience she inserted, but the humor was sometimes really corny and unnecessary. Overall though, I think she really succeeded in writing an excellent and surprisingly entertaining book on an overlooked subject.
It took me like two or three weeks to power through this, but it was worth it. It's very well written, but it was just so...clinical and a little dry at times that I struggled. Mary Roach has an incredible voice and I would consider reading her again. If I had the patience and time. I definitely learned a lot about dead bodies from this. And I also learned that when I will my body to science, as I've been planning for years, I will have to specify what I don't want to happen to my body. Like testing military weapons and stuff.
Anyway. This is very good, but you really have to commit to it and understand what you're getting yourself into.
Anyway. This is very good, but you really have to commit to it and understand what you're getting yourself into.