Book Review: Spook: Science Tackles The Afterlife by Mary Roach

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Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife

 Reviewer: Peekaboo
Author: Mary Roach
Publisher: W.W. Norton and Co
Publishing Date: September 26, 2006
Genre: Nonfiction - Science
Rating: 5 stars 

 Amazon Goodreads

 Summary: "What happens when we die? Does the light just go out and that's that—the million-year nap? Or will some part of my personality, my me-ness persist? What will that feel like? What will I do all day? Is there a place to plug in my lap-top?" In an attempt to find out, Mary Roach brings her tireless curiosity to bear on an array of contemporary and historical soul-searchers: scientists, schemers, engineers, mediums, all trying to prove (or disprove) that life goes on after we die.

Review:

 In typical Mary Roach style, this book kicks a lot of ass.
If you've read a Mary Roach book before, you know what you are getting into. A lot of humor, facts presented in a way that is both interesting and educational (and very far from boring), and no desire to cut out what some people deem "the icky stuff." If you haven't read a Mary Roach book before, buckle up, you're going to have some fun.

 Spook does exactly what the subtitle suggests: looks at the afterlife through the lense of science. If you are a deeply religious person, this book may not be for you. She says straight up she is not a God person, and God plays no part in how she will start researching the afterlife. She is a science person.

 I went into this book with little expectation other than a) I've read a few other of her titles so I know how great she is, and b) I was hoping there would be ghosts involved. Because hello, afterlife. I was not disappointed on either account. However, this book is not the science of ghosts. (Which, okay, maybe I was hoping it would be.) She deals with many different scientific endeavors on the afterlife that have occurred throughout history, as well as different beliefs and customs that occur all across the globe today.

 Every time I read a Mary Roach book, I come away with not only a deeper understanding of the topic at hand, but all these fun anecdotes I can spout off at parties, and this book only broadened that pool of knowledge. She deals with the subject of death and dying in a respectful but humorous way, and I appreciate the positivity she brings to what is otherwise kind of a downer.

 If you are looking for a good intro into nonfiction in general, or into her work, this is a nice place to start.

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