Mary Roach’s Stiff presents many different topics as to what is done with the bodies of the dearly departed. Her book is both interesting and informational. She presents the information in detailed anecdotes of her interviews or meetings with the different types of people whose lives directly involve dealing the bodies of those who have donated themselves to science after death. Her book ranges from plastic surgery practice to weapon testing. Each topic in her book can argue that testing with the bodies of the dead is an important way to discover how to better our lives as the living. For example on page 132 of her book she states that research had been done to actually limit the deaths caused by gunshots and gunshot wounds. Other research is done to identify the cause of death and ways to prevent more deaths than what are necessary (and yes death is necessary). The tone within the text is both formal and amusing. In my opinion she wrote the book this way in order to present ideas in a way that the reader would both enjoy and remember reading them; also as a marketing technique to get the word around that her writing is interesting and informational.