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A review by alicea
Dark Archives: A Librarian's Investigation Into the Science and History of Books Bound in Human Skin by Megan Rosenbloom
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
This book was absolutely written with a reader like me in mind. I'm so glad that my friend mentioned this title to me after I finished reading Dr. Mutter's Marvel's as I think they make great companion books (as well as all of Caitlin Doughty's books).
This book covers a lot of ground and seems to do it in only a few pages (I roared through them). From the history of medicine and its dubious practices to how a book bound in human skin is actually made this book will make you think long and hard about what has changed in the medical profession and what has stayed the same. She also delved into other weighty topics like the marginalization and exploitation of women, Black people, and the indigent and she lightly touched on the education of medical practitioners and the dangers in depersonalization.
A well-researched and nuanced look at a thorny topic that I thoroughly enjoyed.
This book covers a lot of ground and seems to do it in only a few pages (I roared through them). From the history of medicine and its dubious practices to how a book bound in human skin is actually made this book will make you think long and hard about what has changed in the medical profession and what has stayed the same. She also delved into other weighty topics like the marginalization and exploitation of women, Black people, and the indigent and she lightly touched on the education of medical practitioners and the dangers in depersonalization.
A well-researched and nuanced look at a thorny topic that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Blood, Antisemitism, Medical content, Religious bigotry, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia