Beyond the Body Farm: A Legendary Bone Detective Explores Murders, Mysteries, and the Revolution in Forensic Science

by Jon Jefferson and William M. Bass

Book Overview

There is no scientist in the world like Dr. Bill Bass. A pioneer in forensic anthropology, Bass created the world's first laboratory dedicated to the study of human decomposition--three acres of land on a hillside in Tennessee where human bodies are left to the elements. His research at "the Body Farm" has revolutionized forensic science, helping police crack cold cases and pinpoint time of death. But during a forensics career that spans half a century,...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060875291
• ISBN13: 9780060875299
• Release Date: September 2007
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.11 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Kind of politically incorrect

Political incorrectness distracted from content

Real life, real interesting CSI

I devoured this book in three days. I couldn't put it down! I think Bill and Jon chose great examples for the book and I was hooked the entire time. I've known about the UT Body Farm for years, but this offered such a new glimpse into Bill Bass's life as a real forensic anthropologist.

As interesting & informative as Death's Acre

I found this book to be as engrossing as Death's Acre. Dr Bill Bass is truly a pioneer in forensic science. I found that I couldn't put this book down!

A Great Entertaining Read

Dr. William Bass has written an entertaining and informative book about real forensic science. While he discusses the differences between television forensic science, such as show like "CSI", and the less flashy day to day life of a real CSI, he still makes real life forensics seem exciting and interesting. Dr. Bass has written novels based on his experiences at the Body Farm, but I haven't read any of them. This real life look at crime scene investigation is as interesting and compelling as any screenplay or novel. Although some of the cases were very touching, and all of them tragic in one way or another, this book still offered entertainment, information, and built a true respect for real forensic scientists.

Beyond the Body Farm

I found the book fascinating. Once started, I read it all the way through. I normally don't read non-fiction, but this was as good as a mystery.Beyond the Body Farm: A Legendary Bone Detective Explores Murders, Mysteries, and the Revolution in Forensic Science

Fascinating and very entertaining

Dr. William M. Bass is one of the world's most renowned forensic anthropologists, and expert in the study of what happens to the human body after death. He was made famous by his novels ("Carved in Bone" and "Flesh and Bone") and by his memoirs ("Death's Acre: Inside the Body Farm, the legendary forensic lab"). In this fascinating book, Dr. Bass looks back on some of his more interesting cases - everything from examining ancient skeletons at an archaeological dig in Iran, through identifying a person by looking at a disembodied skull, watching bugs, what happens to people who were caught in a fatal explosion, and so much more. (Including such interesting things as what he found when he examined the body of Jiles Perry "The Big Bopper" Richardson.) This is a fascinating and very entertaining book. You would think that a book about dead bodies would be creepy, or perhaps dull and academic, but this book is anything but! The authors do an excellent job of presenting Dr. Bass's cases in an interesting manner, teaching you about forensic anthropology at the same time that it entertains you with fascinating events and witty dialog. I loved this book and don't hesitate to recommend it to everyone!

What Old Bones Can Tell Us...If We Listen

Dr. Bill Bass is, without a doubt, the most famous and prestigious forensic anthropologist in the United States, if not the world. He is the creator of the famous Body Farm at the University of Tennessee Knoxville campus and he has consulted on thousands of cases throughout his long career. This book is a group of cases that he found to be of particular interest and range from researching ancient bones in the Middle East to digging up the remains of the Big Bopper. The book contains about 15 such stories, each roughly a chapter long and each discusses various unusual aspects of forensic anthropology. It is well written and has a touch of dark humor added. If you like crime shows and forensic shows, you will love this book. It contains just enough science to make it interesting to those with a science background, but not so much as to overwhelm the average reader.