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Who Knew About Skeletons?

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Well, I didn't know what a "forensic anthropologist" did until I read this book--they become experts about skeletons, mostly so that they can go back and ascertain the cause of death or identify remains, an endeavor that has both current and historical applications. Maples published this book just three years before his untimely death at age 59 (of a brain tumor, diagnosed two years previously). I am so glad that he put his story in print before he passed; it is a narrative that begged to be told. His was a clear voice, educating others as to his little-understood and little-populated field. And he made me understand that a skeleton does, indeed, tell many more tales than what the average person would suppose. Who knew that King Robert the Bruce of Scotland died of leprosy? Maples also has other "celebrity" cases to discuss: Francisco Pizarro, Zachary Taylor, Tsar Nicholas II, and Joseph Merrick (the "Elephant Man"). He impresses with his personal commitment to bones, and laments at the end of the book that his lab (the C. A. Pound Human Identification Laboratory) might cease to exist once he was no longer around to advocate for it, but a quick internet check says that hasn't happened since his death in 1997. Ideally, one should read the companion volume of his friend, Dr. Michael Baden, in tandem with this one. He is a forensic pathologist (medical examiner) who does with "fresher" evidence what Maples does with the leftovers. Macabre though it might be, I liked this book.

Solid Storytelling

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In addition to becoming one of the world's authorities in the field of forensic anthropology, William Maples was a solid storyteller. It seems rare that a scientific mind can produce a thoughtful, sensory written work, but Maples, with his co-author, did just that. Readers are treated to the inner workings of his mind - his work was not for the sqeemish - and his mind is a fascinating one. Maples worked high profile cases in the field of forensic anthropology, and that surely was a thrill for him, but it was equally thrilling, if not more so, when he could discover a new detail on a little known forensic case and provide some closure for a family or a town or an investigation team. The book was completed long before the CSI's and Bones television programs and one can be assured that Maples was not working with the latest and greatest laser or computer technology throughout the majority of his career. A panel of cow bones cut by every sharp tool imaginable hung in his lab for comparison purposes. No fancy computer overlays or National Databases - just a careful, trained eye. The work contains no cliffhangers or mad dashes to the courthouse or red phone telephone calls from the Governor's office. Instead, the narrative tells a story of a fascinating career in the scientits on words, which are warm, feeling, and suprisinginly human. But perhaps that should not be so surprising at all.

interesting and enjoyable but a little basic

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I had the pleasure to work with Dr. Maples on several occasions and he was always the most pleasant and personable colleague imaginable - in stark contrast to many of the prancing prima donnas in the field. I think that the relative shallowness with which some of the topics are dealt is due mainly to the wide range of subjects with which he deals and the obvious desire to make it an 'approachable' book.

Purchased for my college student	Customer Rating:
My oldest son is going into his senior year in college. He will be working on Forensic classes and I purchased a few fun reads for the summer. He loves the book.

The trials of being a forensic anthropologist

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I recieved this book as a gift when I was in high school. I loved it then. Since I've recently finished a Masters in forensic anthropology myself, I decided to pull it off my shelf and give it another run through. This is hands down the most honest and truthful illustration of what it's like to work in this field in a market flooded with a glut of products dedicated to the likes of Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reichs. Every Bones/CSI fan needs to read this book and learn about the un-glamorous parts of these careers. I went into my career as a forensic anthropologist with a realistic understanding of the job because of Dr. Maples' great prose. While the CSI wannabes whine about the maggots and the smell, I do my job. This is a great book for anyone who is interested in forensic science and should be a required read in introductory courses.