Review: They Lost Their Heads

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I have to admit, I like this book.  It is a slightly oddball way to look at history, but you know what?!?! It works!  🙂  This quirky book “They Lost Their Heads!” takes a look at moments in history from 1355 through 1931 considering our human bodies.

What you get is 42 different stories about famous body parts from around the world.  Teeth, brains, legs, blood, ears, and so much more….

From Lincoln predicting his death and his body being moved around forever, Van Gogh and his ear, and Mata Hari with her preserved head….we are walked through various historical events from a rather unique perspective…the human body and what’s been done with it.

Black and white images fill the pages.  Now I received a uncorrected proof, I don’t know if ready for sale copy will have any colour added.

Frank talk without being gross, with a sense of humour shows many funny and interesting things that have been done to the human body throughout the ages. Imagine being a famous actress and having your leg amputated due to a knee infection…. and that leg being found in a medical school storage room.  Or digging up a body and finding two skeletons but only one head? One of the aspects I most appreciated was for some of the more oddball happenings they would provid

Missing corpses, fat heads, preserved brains, warts, bathing in blood, funeral mourners, body snatched and more. This book is bound to appeal to many a middle school boy, and some girls too. I know I found it to be a fun read.

My Thoughts:

My 12 year old picked it up and read a few chapters in it.  This speaks to the curiousity this book inspires.  Just how to human body parts connect with history?  He thought it was funny and that when he’s done his current read that he’d like to go through this one, or perhaps I could read it to him as part of his history.  (hint hint)  🙂

They Lost Their Heads: Washington's Teeth, Einstein's Brain and other Famous Body Parts Carlyn Beccia Bloomsbury Children's Books Softcover, 192 pages Ages 10-14 years History, Middle School, Human Body Reviewed for: Raincoast Books.

Where can you find it?

Amazon.ca: They Lost Their Heads!Amazon.com: They Lost Their Heads!