Fascinating, educational, and highly readable, Bones takes readers into the dark world of forensic science.
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Feb 23, 2011
Robin
rated it: 
Dr. Douglas Ubelaker is the curator of anthropology at the Smithsonian, a consultant for the FBI in forensic anthropology, and teaches of forensic anthropology at George Washington University. There were 75 illustrations that didn't really lose anything by being in b&w. Like some of the other forensics books written by professionals for a popular audience Dr. Ubelaker seemed not to be quite sure what would interest us and what we either didn't need explained or didn't want to know. For example,
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Jan 11, 2012
Priscilla
rated it:
While forensics is a fascinating science and the topicss covered are interesting, the workmanlike writing does nothing to bring Ubelaker's subject to life and in fact works against him to quite a great extent. Chapters are typically laundry lists of information - one case after another with perhaps three or four paragraphs dedicated to each, often without any resolution given or without having a case fulfill the purpose/point that Ubelaker tells you it will. He or his ghost writer waste no opp
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Sep 08, 2011
M—
rated it:
Beach Vacation Read #3: Scrounged from the sad pair of little wicker baskets filled with books that served as the beach house library.
While this wasn't a bad introduction on forensics, it's becoming terribly dated, teetering on historic. I had a lot of issues with how the data was laid out here, word definitions were clunky and repetitious, readability was far from smooth.
Ubelaker's entire book is fractured vignettes. I prefer meatier stories, even if they are short, and More...
While this wasn't a bad introduction on forensics, it's becoming terribly dated, teetering on historic. I had a lot of issues with how the data was laid out here, word definitions were clunky and repetitious, readability was far from smooth.
Ubelaker's entire book is fractured vignettes. I prefer meatier stories, even if they are short, and More...
Jul 23, 2010
Andree
rated it:
Dr. Ubelaker is a brilliant scientist, one of the best in forensic anthropology. I've read some of his scientific papers and they are great. Unfortunately I am not a huge fan of this book. I have read many forensic anthropology books, by a wide variety of authors and I certainly don't expect them all to be the same. Many books of this genre that are aimed to the general reader divide the book by cases; normally one case per chapter. I understand the logic of dividing the book by subjects re
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Jun 04, 2010
Catten
rated it: 
Dr. Douglas Ubelaker is the curator of anthropology at the Smithsonian, a consultant for the FBI in forensic anthropology, and teaches of forensic anthropology at George Washington University. (I couldn't find any reference to the other author, Henry Scammell.) presents dozens of case studies and breaks down the science used to work on them into bites. These bites sometimes become bogged down in details or include not enough information, but they're there. In fact, if it weren't for the many pho
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Feb 11, 2012
g-na
rated it: 
Dr. Ubelaker is the curator and senior scientist at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History, as well as a forensic consultant to the FBI. This book is a collection of case histories he has been privy to, and contains a lot of information on the sorts of things forensic scientists look for when examining a case. Recommended for anyone with an interest in that sort of thing.
Sep 03, 2011
J.
rated it:
Had to put it down- I basically wanted some slightly non-fiction pulp about finding bodies and solving crimes. Instead I got Ubelaker briefly mentioning cases he worked on and then patting himself on the back a bunch.
Also I was finding it more and more difficult to hide the full-page pictures of human skulls while I was on the subway.
Also I was finding it more and more difficult to hide the full-page pictures of human skulls while I was on the subway.
Jan 31, 2009
Amanda
rated it: 
This was the second FA book I read, it is nearly as good as Maple's. It's been awahile since I read it and was considering skimming it again. It is awesomely written and I can't imagine anyone would have trouble "picturing the scene." The illustration with the chicken thighs was especially intersting.
Jun 08, 2009
Doug
rated it:
The book had an unintentionally strange message. Ubelaker talks about the tremendous strides in forensic investigation, and how much you can tell from a skeletonized corpse if you know what to look for. He and other pathologists mentioned are able to be extremely certain about cause of death..yet in approximately half of the cases he talks about, there is no positive identification of the vitim.
It just struck me as a little odd that he would construct a book with such a mixed mes More...
It just struck me as a little odd that he would construct a book with such a mixed mes More...
Jul 23, 2011
M0rningstar
rated it:
Read this as a kid; thought it was pretty cool.
Makes many of the CSI/FS TV dramas look dumb and dull in comparison.
Makes many of the CSI/FS TV dramas look dumb and dull in comparison.
Aug 15, 2011
Sophia
rated it:
I really enjoy this book and it reads very smoothly. It's interesting and sometimes arrogant but that's OK. Look at whho the author is.
Aug 06, 2010
Ellen
rated it:
A disappointing number of the cases were unsolved, vague on the details, or actually examined by someone else. I'd recommend William R. Maples's Dead Men Do Tell Tales or Michael M. Baden's Unnatural Death over this one.
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Dec 27, 2007
Mairi
rated it:
Fully convinced that I'll never see this again since it's 3000 miles and a few years out of my hands.
I can't flip through and remember why I enjoyed it so much but I did. And I sort of miss it.
I can't flip through and remember why I enjoyed it so much but I did. And I sort of miss it.
Feb 13, 2008
Meredith
rated it:
Entertaining non-fiction book that is half textbook and half stories from the field. Would be interesting to anyone fascinated by CSI or bioarchaeology related work.
Jun 04, 2010
Dave
rated it:
This book should be every metalhead's handbook. Plenty of dry wit, murder, and unabashed brutality. Super interesting.
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