I'd Love to Listen to the Tales....
Written: Jan 04 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: An intriguing look at real life... Brutal, yet amazing.
Cons: The book was just too short... I want to know more!
The Bottom Line: This is one of THE best books I've ever read. It keeps your attention and makes you yearn for more. I could read it over and over again.
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| RCarte2000's Full Review: Death's Acre: Inside the Legendary Forensics Lab B... |
Welcome To The Body Farm
Being an avid true crime and forensic fan, I just knew this was going to be an amazing book, and indeed it was. I previously read all of Patricia Cornwell's books pertaining to Dr. Kay Scarpetta, Medical Examiner and I loved those. In those books she referenced the Body Farm at the University of Tennessee campus. I was intrigued by the place. When Dr. Bass wrote a book about it, I had to have it.
Bass starts out telling the history of the Body Farm and where it is located. He gives background on his life and his work, his students and mentors. He reveals the secrets of the legendary place and it's style. It is intriguing to learn what happens as a body is studies for scientific gain.
Bass' travels down the road of forensics and his growth within the Body Farm teach many inside tips and secrets that only those deep within the field of the dead may know or want to know.
There are tales of archaeological digs where mass graves are uncovered and bones must be examined to determine origin. There are tales of arson where charred bodies must be identified and the cause of death may not be from the fire. The stories range from puzzling and gruesome to pure relief that the case was solved and the perpetrator taken to justice.
Ever heard of the famous case where a man disappears in Mexico and his family "supposedly" never hears from him again, although when his vehicle is discovered, it has flipped from a cliff and burned and there is a charred body inside assumed to be the missing man? Dr. Bass and his forensic sleuths were assigned to that case. The body was identified through the use of improbable techniques to reveal that the man who was charred behind the wheel was actually a mexican man, not the missing American man. Meanwhile, the widow had collected millions in life insurance on her "dead" husband. Later, the husband was found in the New England area living a nice life on his share of the millions that the wife had wired him. This case probably would have never been solved had it not been for the endless efforts of Dr. Bass and the Body Farm team. Reading of their knowledge and studies to perform such tasks truly blows one's mind.
Along the way, you will gain an insight to what it takes to truly work in the fields of forensics and pathology. You will realize that it isn't always as portrayed on television. You just can't fit this type of work into a 60 minute weekly segment. This book tells the tale of a man with a lifelong dream and how he achieves it. It tells of his struggles with his personal life in relation to his profession and all that he must endure to make "The Body Farm" the success that it is.
This book is very graphic. It has extremely graphic photographs, actual crime scene photographs inside. It is not for the weak. Many of the tales told within its pages are quite gruesome. This is not a tale of a character and it doesn't follow a story line. This is based upon real life and real criminals and real deal patients. Only the real forensic and true crime lovers will admire the truth and work in this book.
If you are a fan of Patricia Cornwell's works or any other murder/suspense books with a forensic twist, you may just enjoy this book. Be sure you read it with a strong stomach and do not think the pictures are censored in any way. There are photographs of burn victims, strangulation victims, rape victims and others. Some photographs display full nudity and may be shocking to some. Certainly this book is recommended for adults only and those with a strong interest/love of the forensic field. If this encompasses you, give it a try. You won't want to put it down.
Quotes about the author and book
"A witty storyteller with a welcome sense of humor ... Bass brings death to life."
--Publisher's Weekly
An Excerpt from the Book
A dozen tiny bones, nestled in my palm: they were virtually all that remained, except for yellowed clippings, scratchy newsreel footage, and painful memories, from what was called "the trial of the century."
That label seems to get thrown around quite a lot, but in this case, maybe it was right. Seven years after the Scopes "Monkey Trial" and half a century before the O.J. Simpson debacle, America was mesmerized by a criminal investigation and murder trial that made headlines around the world. Now I was to decide whether justice had been done, or an innocent man had been wrongly executed.
The case was the kidnapping and death of a toddler named Charles Lindbergh, Jr.—known far and wide as "the Lindbergh baby."
A Table of Contents
FOREWARD by Patricia Cornwell, the Body Farm's Mayor...
1- "The Bones of the Eaglet"
2- "Dead Indians and Dam Engineers"
3- "Bare Bones: Forensics 101"
4- "The Unsavory Uncle"
5- "The Case of the Headless Corpse"
6- "The Scene of the Crime"
7- "Death's Acre: The Body Farm is Born"
8- "A Bug for Research"
9- "Progress and Protest"
10- "Fat Sam and Cadillac Joe"
11- "Grounded in Science"
12- "The Zoo Man Murders"
13- "Parts Unknown"
14- "Art Imitates Death"
15- "More Progress, More Protest"
16- "The Backyard Barbeque"
17- "The Not-So-Accidental Tourist"
18- "The Bloody Beneficiary"
19- "Ashes to Ashes"
20- "And When I Die"
Appendix I: Bones of the Human Skeleton
Appendix II: Glossary of Forensic and Anthropology Terms
Acknowledgements
Index
Tales are told of the Lindburgh Baby and unearthing ancient Indian tribes. More tales are told of a disappearing toddler in the care of a deranged family member. There are murdered prostitutes and victims burned and served to pets as dinner. Dismemberment, cremation, bugs, fire, improper burials, archaeological digs, this book has everything inside to peak the interests of those who enjoy forensic challenges.
Then, just as you learn to love Dr. Bass, the book closes with his final thoughts, fondest memories, and wishes for the remainder of his very successful life. The book leaves you wanting more and more. To me, that's a great read.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
RCarte2000
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Member: Becky Carte
Location: West Virginia
Reviews written: 225
Trusted by: 58 members
About Me:
29 years old, separated, mom of a 4 year old daughter and 2 stepchildren.
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