Stiff

The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

By: Mary Roach

Narrated by: Shelly Frasier

Length: 8 hrs

Publisher's summary

An oddly compelling, often hilarious exploration of the strange lives of our bodies postmortem.

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.

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)

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!

This was a fascinating look into what happens when you die. It's super funny, witty and kept me interested the whole time. I didn't want it to end. I'm about to buy her other books.

informative

Better tan laying around doing nothing when you are dead. Great insight with humor.

content ok, narrator choice odd

The content of this book is good. The choice of narrator is weird. The narrator has a voice better suited to a book about small town county fair hijinx - voice should have been a bit more formal.

Loved it

Would you consider the audio edition of Stiff to be better than the print version?

Loved the narrator, but the production was not top quality..

What was one of the most memorable moments of Stiff?

The idea of med students holding a memorial service for their dissection cadavers.

Which character – as performed by Shelly Frasier – was your favorite?

This is not a book of characters - just Mary, the researcher, and the stiffs.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but went well in intervals too

Any additional comments?

Made a very good job of what what might be considered a very sensitive subject.

Deleteriously funny

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I have recommended this book to friends and coworkers. Ms. Roach's approach to the subject of being dead, made this book entertaining an educational.

What did you like best about this story?

The grossly vivid descriptions of what cadavers experience in death. Ms Frasier captures the Joe Friday "Just the facts" tone of the writer and amplifies the macabre humor.

Have you listened to any of Shelly Frasier’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not listened to any other books by Ms Frasier.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Giving back through death.

Very fascinating

I got a bit squeamish in the middle but really that's my own fault. I knew what I was getting into. Wonderful book.

Amazing!

I admit that a morbid curiosity is what pulled me in, but, I was genuinely disappointed to finish this book. It was so good the entire book and I really didn't want it to end. Fantastic job!

Didn't Live Up to the Premise

I purchased this book because it was on sale and it looked like it would be a fun salacious summer read. Unfortunately for me, it was more documentary than reality show. The information is interesting, and it is a quick read, but I couldn't help but feel that something was missing. It felt almost as if it was an abridged book and the author often repeats similar sentiments throughout, as if the reader would forget that she was squeamish at some points. If you find the subject interesting, there are probably other books that are better. If you're new to the subject, as I was, this could be a lighter introductory/condensed guide.

Thorough and funny

Despite the light touch, this is a professional journalist describing the science and practical problems of corpses. It is a great book. The narrator has everything right in tone and pacing as well.

quite interesting.

I learned alot. I found humour in the writing, but it was actually very sensitive writing for such a subject. I did skip through chapter 6, due to total boredom , and other parts were just a bit too gory for my taste.which i stopped listening to (I could have lived without the research of attaching puppy head to other dogs, gruesome and unneccessary reading/listening)