My husband bought me this for Christmas, and I wasn't sure about it at first. The beginning was a little slow, with a lot of detail about the author's early life, which at that point was a little wearing when I wanted to get into the "point" of the story. His reasons for including it do become apparent as the book progresses though. I have to admit to not liking the author much at first: he seemed very detached, particularly from his wife and family, despite the respect he gave to the bodies he examined. It seemed as if he cared far more for the dead than the living. (I was also a little irritated by him complaining about his poverty during his early working life. Whilst junior doctors in the 1970s probably weren't paid a fortune, I'm pretty sure he was relatively well off by most standards.)
I warmed to him however as the book progressed. Alongside the fascinating detail about many of the autopsies he performed, both on obscure individuals and victims of famous murder cases and disasters, he is very honest about his own personal life and failings. The details of his early life did seem to illuminate the way he reacted to family life and his scientific detachment which often seemed too much. By the end of the book, he seemed thoroughly human and vulnerable, which I appreciated.
The scientific/medical details and inside information about autopsies, murders and disasters were very interesting, and handled with respect and clarity. More than once, I found myself heading to the internet to find out more about the cases he covered.
Not exactly enjoyable, but a very worthwhile read. Recommended.