My new IRB is Stiff by Mary Roach. I've read some of Roach's writing before in English and AP Bio, but I've never read her books in their entirety. I'm interested in being a doctor, and I chose Stiff to hone my appreciation for the many cadavers I will meet in the future. Despite medicine's obsession with SAVING LIVES, Mary Roach raises a fascinating question - to both scalpel junkies and the general public - about what happens to the dead. Her book tracks the varying uses and paths that cadavers follow, some of which are expected, some of which are bizarre.
In the past, when I have read Roach's writing, it's been enjoyable for passive reading. Roach uses humor to make light of often dire or disconcerting situations. She has a way with words that I can't quite explain; she manages to describe things in the most peculiar but accurate ways. Nevertheless, some of her writing is hard to decipher in English class. What on Earth could possibly be the deep and inspiring meaning behind writing a book about cadavers? And how exactly does a joke about a dead person's face contribute to that purpose? Although Roach is much easier to read than Friedan, it seems some of her writing will be harder to decipher. My goal is to make some headway on why Roach writes the way she does - and also to learn something, as a future doctor.
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