"The preserved remains of other human beings hold a special fascination for the living. Earthly Remains explores the history and science behind such phenomena and examines cases ranging from ancient Egyptian mummies to twentieth-century politicians, from Iron Age bog bodies to the extraordinary finds at Pompeii." "Illustrated with the haunting images of many of the cases discussed, Earthly Remains is a compelling book that will appeal to everyone's...

Early studies of the human brain used a simple method: wait for misfortune to strike--strokes, seizures, infectious diseases, horrendous accidents--and see how victims coped. In many cases their survival was miraculous, if puzzling. Observers were amazed by the transformations that took place when different parts of the brain were destroyed, altering victims' personalities. Parents suddenly couldn't recognize their own children. Pillars of the community...

"A wide-ranging take on why humans have a troubled relationship with being an animal, and why we need a better one. Human are the most inquisitive, emotional, imaginative, aggressive, and baffling animals on the planet. But we are also an animal that does not think it is an animal. How well do we really know ourselves? How to Be Animal tells a remarkable story of what it means to be human and argues that at the heart of our existence is a profound...