Tom Lynch

In "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers," Roach examines the history of the human cadaver, its uses and the biological effects of being deceased. And it's really funny. Her research covers a variety of marvelous dead topics, from lab dissections of human heads to the use of human crash-test dummies. And Roach doesn't shy away; she invests herself in the setting in which she's immersed, where there is always a distinct smell, and the most interesting thing in the room is immobile and lifeless.

Roach realizes that death is a particularly fragile subject, and that the thought of the recently deceased being gruesomely probed may not put too many readers at ease, but never once is she inappropriate. After all, she is human herself; she has experienced death during her life, so she is wonderfully sensitive with the information. Roach's behavior in the presence of the dead is real, and she reacts as any of us would. She humorously describes how she tries to convince herself that she is not viewing corpses, but rather exhibits in a wax museum.

March Roach reads from "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers on May 23 at 6:30pm at Book Stall at Chestnut Court, 811 Elm Street, Winnetka, (847)445-8880.

(2003-05-21)

Also by Tom Lynch

Wacky cadavers
"If you really want to know for sure that the human soul resides in the brain, you could cut off a man's head and ask it," begins chapter nine of Mary Roach's "Stiff."
(2003-05-07)

Our town, twisted
In "Wigfield: The Can-Do Town That Just May Not," writers Amy Sedaris, Paul Dinello and Stephen Colbert embrace the hilarity of an oddball American small town.
(2003-04-22)

Their TV chariot awaits
It is 3:30, and Carrie has been waiting in line since noon. "I could care less about TV. I'm looking to get married," the young math teacher says.
(2003-04-15)

At the old ballgame
To accompany the first pitch, Southern Illinois University Press has published "Bottom of the Ninth: Great Contemporary Baseball Short Stories," a collection of stories by various writers that all use baseball as their muse.
(2003-04-09)

X-files
(2003-04-02)

Tip of the Week
(2003-04-01)

Doing the deed
(2003-03-26)

Lights, Camera, Hurry
(2003-03-19)

Temporary rock stars
(2003-03-05)

Time is on his side
(2003-02-26)

Notes from the Madden Underground
(2003-01-29)

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