
Stiff
The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
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Narrated by:
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Shelly Frasier
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By:
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Mary Roach
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.Listeners also enjoyed...




















Editorial reviews
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)
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Simultaneously repulsive and fascinating
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Anyway, no one can snitch this kind from me!
I think that Shelly give a great performance to a book that some might feel uncomfortable with.
Loved the print copy so much...
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Excellent!
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What did you love best about Stiff?
I read this (yes an actual printed copy) when it was first released years ago. Since that time TV, movies, etc have pretty much covered much of what this book has to offer. However, the delivery is respectful and scientific...and Human. The narrator lended a somber, but at times humorous, hand to a sensitive topic. Bringing to life the realm of the dead by melding interesting interviews and insights into each story. Overall, well worth the listen. I have listened to other publications by this author and will continue to look for more. I enjoy her writing style and method of delivering such unique topics.Informative, though a bit dated
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Appropriate death defying humor
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An underestimated jewel of a book!
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Where does Stiff rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
top 5Have you listened to any of Shelly Frasier’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
I have not heard her other performances but would be glad to listen to another.Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No some of the subject matter needs a break now and then.Any additional comments?
A fascinating subject that is deftly handled both in writing and performance. I bought the book in part because it was on sale and in part because it had good reviews. I agree with the reviews. Well done!Informative & deftly written with humor
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I am not sure how she kept her sense of humor with such a grotesque topic, but there were many times I was laughing at things that I would never had thought could be funny. She has a very clever sense of humor that is sometimes subtle and sometimes like a club over the head.
Several times I had to check to see if it was Mary Roach narrating because Shelly Frasier made it seem like she was telling a story, not reading text. I am not sure how to explain it, but it flowed very naturally and her comic timing was superb!
It's like a car wreck, you can't look away!
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Brilliant
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Dead right!
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