Stiff
Mary Roach is a delight. Her books are often filed under pop-science, though I think they have more of a historical lean than a scientific one. She picks a topic and then delves into all the interesting little nooks and crannies, resulting in books that are equal parts hilarious and informative. I read Bonk (about the study of human sexuality) ages ago. (Actually, it was the book I was reading when I moved from Colorado to Virginia). Picking up Stiff reminded me that I need to track down the rest of her books. Stiff is about the historical use of human cadavers. They've mostly been used in medicine, everything from organ transplants to labs for student surgeons to strange, traditional treatments. But there have been other uses as well, particularly in the auto industry and the military as we search for ways to make dangerous things safer. There are also chapters about cannibalism (mostly urban legends, from what I gathered) and the disposal of human bodies. For the most part...