Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
27th out of 175 books
—
73 voters
Death to Dust: What Happens to Dead Bodies
by
Kenneth V. Iserson (Goodreads Author)
Everything you always wanted to know about corpses, including:
How does one . . .
Determine the time of death?
Perform an autopsy?
Embalm a body?
Donate organs and tissues?
Cryonically preserve heads and bodies?
Shrink human heads?
Identify dismembered bodies?
Transport corpses?
Why. . .
Rob graves?
Dissect cadavers?
Bury or cremate a body?
Use coffins or cask...more
How does one . . .
Determine the time of death?
Perform an autopsy?
Embalm a body?
Donate organs and tissues?
Cryonically preserve heads and bodies?
Shrink human heads?
Identify dismembered bodies?
Transport corpses?
Why. . .
Rob graves?
Dissect cadavers?
Bury or cremate a body?
Use coffins or cask...more
Hardcover, 821 pages
Published
February 15th 2001
by Galen Press
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
250)
Interesting read... I found it at the library. It was the jacket that caught my attention. Never before have I possessed such a morbid curiosity with death (pun intended). It's been very difficult to put down. It provides some very compelling arguments concerning anatomical dissection and organ donation. This book also discusses bizarre rites and rituals surrounding death among certain cultures and religions. No subject is taboo... both cannibalism and necrophilia are mentioned, as well as seria...more
Death - The 500 pound Gorilla in the room. People that are curious what happens to humans after death will want to read this book. We love to live by not facing the final page of our lives. This book is not for the faint hearted, people that think that enbalming will preserve the body forever, or people that are just naive about death. Everybody dies, rots, stinks and disolves.
"The womb shall forget you, the worms shall feed sweetly upon you and you shall no longer be remembered."
Job 24:20
"The womb shall forget you, the worms shall feed sweetly upon you and you shall no longer be remembered."
Job 24:20
I picked this up in the medical bookstore for the university hopsital where I work. With an interest in anthropology as well, it was one of the best books I have ever read. A topic we must all deal with in our lives and few have the inclination to learn much about.
This is one of the most interesting nonfiction books I own. It covers all sorts of aspects of death traditions and the funeral industry.
Glenn and I red this book several years ago and we still talk about it. This is a fascinating book.
From reading this, I now know just about everything about death... and a little I didn't really want to know.
view 1 comment
Everything you EVER wanted to know about death and then some. The only thing is that some of the questions were sort of redundant but overall, a great book that I finished within two days.
Apr 03, 2011
Chanita.Shannon
marked it as to-read
In Kate Braestrups "Here If You Need Me"
Fascinating.
This book really should have been called:” Death and dying: everything you ever wanted to know but were afraid to ask”. In very clear and simple language this book fills you in on just about every aspect of death you could ever want to know. From the legalities to burial at sea to the actual physics of decomposition and everything else in between, this book really has it all. A must have!
Everything you would ever want to know - and much that you don't - about the processes and systems surrounding dead bodies and death. How a body decays, morgues, death certificates, the criteria for declaring a person dead, the high costs of burial, burial customs around the world, etc. etc. Part of my background reading for the "death" class I'm teaching in the fall semester.
I'm learning "everything I wanted to know about what happens to dead bodies." It's research for a novel. A highly informative, well-organized book.
I don't remember much about this one. I remember thinking it's ok. I have it if you REALLY want to read it.
Mar 24, 2008
Amy
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
People with a morbid curiousity and a strong constitution.
Everything I have always wondered about, but figured I would be a social outcast if I asked.
For anyone curious about other cultures' rituals surrounding death and/or funerals.
Completely gruesome, but it will answer all your questions.
Fascinating, but not for the faint of heart.
May 22, 2013
Animeparty
marked it as to-read
May 18, 2013
Chenoa
marked it as to-read
May 17, 2013
Kasane Teto
marked it as to-read
Apr 30, 2013
Mellissa
marked it as to-read
Apr 27, 2013
Karen
is currently reading it
Apr 22, 2013
Leslie Inglis
marked it as to-read
Apr 14, 2013
Isy
marked it as to-read
Apr 11, 2013
Alana S
marked it as to-read
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
