Reviews

Rest in Pieces: The Curious Fates of Famous Corpses by Bess Lovejoy

mborer23's review against another edition

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3.0

Did you know that there were plans to kidnap Lincoln's corpse for ransom? What happened to Einstein's brain? Who would keep a famous person's preserved heart, eyes...or penis? The answers to these and other questions can be found in Bess Lovejoy's Rest in Pieces.

Rest in Pieces is an entertaining, if superficial, look at the looting, relocating, and fetishizing of various famous corpses. At its best, it gives us a bit of insight into the need that some feel to continue their celebrity worship after death. A light, gently macabre, read.

revregtr's review against another edition

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5.0

Fun

A fun romp through the afterlife of some of the most famous corpses. I loved it and recommend it heartily

neverpixierose's review against another edition

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4.0

A pretty quick, but very fun and informational read. I appreciate Lovejoy's wit and sense of humor when dealing with as difficult a subject as death and corpses. If you're curious at all about the final fate of your favorite poets, musicians, and celebrities, Lovejoy's book is a must-read!

erindigsegypt's review against another edition

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funny informative lighthearted fast-paced

3.75

guido_the_nature_guide's review against another edition

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2.0

As the two-star tag says, "it was ok". Not bad. Decently written. Mostly interesting. Perfect for bathroom reading. The short appendix about the physiological journey of a corpse was one of the best sections, so don't skip it.

cwill89's review against another edition

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dark informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.0

kingutis's review against another edition

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funny informative mysterious medium-paced

4.5

It was quite funny reading. But very informative.

evierachael's review against another edition

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funny informative fast-paced

5.0

jinni's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing fast-paced

5.0

asc1006's review against another edition

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3.0

I really enjoyed reading this book: there were bits where I was actually very invested in what the author was telling, other times I didn't much care but still pushed through because the "chapters" were concise and intriguing nonetheless. I really liked that the author included the stories of non-Americans as well, although I would have loved to know more about Asian or African corpses as well as I'm sure the cultural insight would have made it all the more interesting.