Beyond
the Body Farm by Dr. Bill Bass is an excellent account of a selection
of the author's cases meant to educate readers of the wonders of
forensic science.
Beyond
the Body Farm is written using simple writing. There is a useful
glossary and a nifty diagram of the human skeleton, including a
detailed drawing of the skull. I found myself referring to the
anatomic illustrations frequently. Even if you don't know a thing
about anthropology, you will be able to understand the terms the
author uses through his simple definitions.
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| Bones of prey found under a tree |
At
times, Beyond the Body Farm can be, understandably, graphic, but the
intrigue keeps you going. For example, in one chapter, Dr. Bass
studies the victims of a mass killing caused when an illegal firework
shop explodes. The only thing that kept me reading this chapter was
my curiosity as to how this event occurred, and the suspenseful
writing style Bill Bass uses. Another time, I advised my mother to
buy a rubber car mat instead of a cloth one because of another
chapter. In this one, a burned body is found in a car. Many of the
remains were salvageable because the plastic floor mat melted, rather
than burned, keeping them from falling out of the charred car. Beyond
the Body Farm just didn't last long enough!
Not
only does Beyond the Body Farm teach readers about forensic
anthropology, it also talks about other forensic careers including
entomology (the study of insects), art (using the skull of a victim
to recreate their face), and odontology (the study of teeth).
Whether
you are just learning about forensic anthropology, or have known
about it for a long time, Dr. Bill Bass' book is a required read. His
story has inspired me to learn more about forensic anthropology.
Book review by Gwen McDaniel
Book review by Gwen McDaniel
