Fans of the fantastic offbeat HBO drama Six Feet Under may remember seeing Mary Roach's book STIFF - The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers in this past season's finale episode. The book played a pivotal role as messenger of news that brought about a tremendous revelation, news that would change these characters lives forever. Almost ironic that the book that opened up these doors is about lifeless corpses and their positions in society. When asked if I wanted to review STIFF for the site, I was a little apprehensive. Book reviews are not our specialty, but curiosity did indeed get the best of me and I decided to go for it. In the end, I'm certainly glad I did, STIFF is a fascinating and entertaining read, definitely unlike anything you've read before, this I can almost guarantee. And it's my pleasure to share this information with our readers.

What is STIFF exactly? The brainchild of author Mary Roach, STIFF relays several accounts, to the reader, that of the dead and the many uses for their 'shells.' From severed heads (all donated of course) used for 'practice' facelifts by plastic surgeons, to organs of the deceased used as medicines. I'm not going to go into too many specifics here, you're going to want to discover it on your own. One of the true joys of STIFF is turning the page, not knowing where Mary Roach is going to take you next.

As an unaffected observer, Mary enters each bizarre situation with questions, and with that an incredible knowledge and understanding of the past. No stone is left unturned, and Mary doesn't shy away from the toughest of situations. As part of the introduction, Mary speaks of how some may perceive this book as disrespectful, or cruel. She says in rebuttal, "Being dead is absurd. It's the silliest situation you'll find yourself in." and it's statements likes these that put it all in perspective. I often find that I have to defend myself and my site to people who don't understand the bizarre subject matter we cover. I actually find myself being 'defensive' about it, and I shouldn't. Roach smartly decides to take an offensive approach, and through her humorous, friendly writing style, makes it all seem OK. Very respectable, considering the morbid subject matter here. Sure, these were once 'loved ones.' A father, a mother, a son. But unattached, they are shells, vessels that carried these people we loved through life. Having the chance to see the many uses these shells may serve, is fascinating to say the least.

STIFF may be at times hard to stomach and believe me, there will be plenty of nervous double takes as you read. But it's with extreme honesty and compassion that the subject matter of the dead is handled here. STIFF is an absolutely fantastic read, and one that I highly recommend to all of our readers.