Book Review: All That Remains - A Life in Death by Sue Black

Sue Black confronts death every day. As a Professor of Anatomy and Forensic Anthropology, she focuses on mortal remains in her lab, at burial sites, at scenes of violence, murder and criminal dismemberment, and when investigating mass fatalities due to war, accident or natural disaster. In All That Remains she reveals the many faces of death she has come to know, using key cases to explore how forensic science has developed, and examining what her life and work has taught her.

Part memoir, part science, part meditation on death, her book is compassionate, surprisingly funny, and it will make you think about death in a new light.

This is a fun - and only mildly distressing book.

It is graphic without ever being too gory. I found the detailed descriptions of autopsies and dissections to be a bit much - although I am overly squeamish. But it is all handled with appropriate sensitivity and reverence.

I'm not a huge fan of books wish mash multiple genres together. While this starts as a potted history of Death and the way it is investigated, it quickly morphs into an autobiography. Both parts of the book are interesting - and they mesh well.

Thankfully, it never gets too maudlin. Yes, death is sad - but Death is impersonal. We have so much to learn from it. There are a multitude of ways to die and some are probably better than others.

It's a gentle and moving book with a strong narrative arc (bending towards justice). It doesn't go too deeply into the science - but gives you enough of an overview to understand the matters at hand.

If this book has sparked a desire to donate your body to medical science, you can find your nearest medical school on the website of the Human Tissue Authority.