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A review by litdrivengirl
Cranioklepty: Grave Robbing and the Search for Genius by Colin Dickey
4.0
Finally! It seems ages ago (by the by it was) that I started reading this. Cranioklepty is far off the beaten path of books I would usually choose to entertain my mind, buy why not try something different I thought when I picked it from the batch of Early Reviewers.
The book had a strong beginning and I learned many interesting facts I enjoyed sharing with friends and family. Toward the middle of the book I felt I had no choice, but to find another book to read. It lacked the intrigue the beginning had. Only recently did I tell myself, “You must finish this book!” I picked it up and began to blaze through it. Thank goodness the pace picked up.
Mr. Dickey did a wondrous amount of research and a good job connecting different bits of history. I was thrilled with two instances particularly that occurred while reading his book. For one, my place of work owns a replica bust of L.N. Fowler’s Phrenology chart (discussed in the book). Second when the author tells the story of the Piltdown skull, it rang a bell in my memory. I quickly went home and asked my mom, “Didn’t you have me read an article in school about the Piltdown skull?” She didn’t remember for sure, but I locked through the files and found that yes I had. I was ready to get out my fighting words ready to disprove the author. However, the next chapter put him back on the same page as me . . . that the whole Piltdown affair was a hoax. Anyway I love these types of connections that flow over to everyday life.
The book was overall a good read and a must for history buffs interested in cranioklepty. It was sad read the measures people went to, for essentially just a skull. The way they idolized the skulls causes one to wonder what the people themselves would think if they were still alive.
The book had a strong beginning and I learned many interesting facts I enjoyed sharing with friends and family. Toward the middle of the book I felt I had no choice, but to find another book to read. It lacked the intrigue the beginning had. Only recently did I tell myself, “You must finish this book!” I picked it up and began to blaze through it. Thank goodness the pace picked up.
Mr. Dickey did a wondrous amount of research and a good job connecting different bits of history. I was thrilled with two instances particularly that occurred while reading his book. For one, my place of work owns a replica bust of L.N. Fowler’s Phrenology chart (discussed in the book). Second when the author tells the story of the Piltdown skull, it rang a bell in my memory. I quickly went home and asked my mom, “Didn’t you have me read an article in school about the Piltdown skull?” She didn’t remember for sure, but I locked through the files and found that yes I had. I was ready to get out my fighting words ready to disprove the author. However, the next chapter put him back on the same page as me . . . that the whole Piltdown affair was a hoax. Anyway I love these types of connections that flow over to everyday life.
The book was overall a good read and a must for history buffs interested in cranioklepty. It was sad read the measures people went to, for essentially just a skull. The way they idolized the skulls causes one to wonder what the people themselves would think if they were still alive.