If 2020 has taught me something, it is to have a morbid sense of humour. I mean what else could I have taken away from this truly one-of-a-kind year? As many of you who follow my blog know, I am an avid traveler. I was comfortably on the path to hit a milestone in my travel ‘career’. I was all planned to hit 50 countries traveled to by the end of 2020. But something entirely different was in store for me (and for the whole world). However I learnt to find joy in other things in life, such as just spending holidays on my balcony, relaxing, with a book and a beverage in hand. Said that, I believe it is a really good lead-in to talk about the most morbidly interesting books for 2021. So here goes, my top two.
The Psychopath Test
The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry is British author Jon Ronson’s attempt to delve into the world of psychopathy. Jon is a journalist who meets several renowned (and sometimes infamous) names in the field of psychopathic study and creates his own quest for psychopaths. Psychopaths are everywhere and many high functional people in this world are psychopaths. That is what this book really is about. And it is true. Psychopathy is not declared a ‘treatable’ mental illness. It is often referred to a state of mind that someone has and that someone can keep subdued, but never get cured of.
Through his many interviews with Psychopath analyzers, Jon presents a sort of checklist to identify checklist, one from Hare. And then he sets out on his own mission to interview several known psychopaths and tries to fit them into the criteria. This is the part that I really found interesting and often quite humorous. Because I started looking around people I knew and looks for these ‘psychopathic traits’ in them.
Overall I would not say that this is one of best books that I have read but this book presents the grave subject of psychopathy in a lighter and more palatable fashion. This book may pique your interest subject and educate you just enough to help you delve deeper into the subject.
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Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
This book, hands down is one of the funniest books I have read. Period. Given that the book is all about dead bodies, human dead bodies, I rate it as the morbidly funniest book that I have read. This is a book I will love to re-read and I am a person who seldom re-reads books. To set context, the only book that I have re-read multiple times is Wuthering Heights.
Mary Roach is an American journo who sets out to research on the ultimate fate that human cadavers meet. The book is infinitely insightful on the industries that thrive around human dead bodies, a subject that we donot often read about in traditional media. The book talks about at least 12 mainstream industries which heavily depend on the after-dead. Whilst I would like to talk about each of these here but I will not, for two reasons. One, this review will become too long to be readable. Two, I want you to read the book to find out.
Why do I like this book so much? For me, it is how Roach approaches the subject of death and after-death. Given how truly morbid the subject is, only the right amount of humour could take away the glumness while also not getting frivolous. And Mary Roach does that with aplomb. Her writing style is hilarious, often bordering on deadpan (do excuse the pun!). I have laughed out loud on multiple occasions reading through the book. She also touches upon some truly sensitive subjects, such as who decides on what happens to the body after death? Should it be the decision of the person who will die or the people who have to live with the decision of the dead.
In conclusion, Stiff: The curious lives of human cadavers is a book par-excellence which talks with mirth and respect about a topic that all of the living would likely avoid. I can confess that with this book, I have fallen in love with Mary Roach’s writing style and I will continue loving her even if her other books are half as funny as this one.
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So these are my recommendations for the most morbidly interesting books for 2021. Let me know in the comments below what you think about these books. Or if you have already read one or both of the books. Also let me know if you have other recommendations for morbidly interesting books for 2021 and beyond.
Happy Reading!
Wonderful books