Book Review: “Written in Bone: Hidden Stories in What We Leave Behind” by Sue Black

If we went for a coffee today, this book might come up in conversation.

How did I get it?

Gen and I almost always go for coffee together on Friday mornings. Because we have a special needs child, date night hasn’t been a possibility for awhile, but we can make coffee on Friday mornings happen with regularity.

And, on those Fridays, we sometimes do a little exploring, new shops, new parts of town, that sort of thing. Earlier this year, after exploring the offerings at Okaloosa Donuts, we spotted this little used bookstore next door called “The Book Rack” and popped in.

It’s a delightful little shop that’s been operating there for over 20 years as a family business. It’s almost completely used paperback fiction, incredibly well organized and you can tell it’s run efficiently.

In addition to books, they had stickers. I snagged one that said “Easily distracted by books.”

It reminded me of the T-shirt on one of the library staff. It said “emotionally attached to fictional characters.” I can relate to that. I’m still ruminating on the characters in “Crime and Punishment” and “War and Peace.”

Anyway, they had a tiny section of non-fiction, and this title was prominently displayed. It’s completely out of my normal fare and it intrigued me.

What is the book about?

Sue Black is a forensic anthropologist. That means she is an expert on identifying the parts of the body and uses that to help solve crimes.

So, this book is a walk through the human anatomy starting with the skull and ending with the digits in our extremities. She carefully explains the names of the bones, how they function, what changes are made in development from the embryo all the way to old age. She includes graphic and riveting stories of cases that highlight that particular part of the body.

For instance, in chapter 8 “The Long Bones” in describing the long bones of our arms and legs, she tells the story of a boy about 10 or 11 years old that had committed suicide. She writes:

The pathologist popped an X-ray of the boy’s upper limb bones up on the screen and then an image of his lower limbs. He was looking for fractures, current or healed, to see whether there might be any history of physical abuse. I remember saying, uninvited, “That’s interesting,” as I noticed three or four very clear Harris lines at the lower ends of both the radius and the tibia. The spaces between these lines, which showed that normal growth had resumed for a while before being interrupted again, suggested that some kind of disturbance may have been repeated at intervals.”

There wasn’t any signs of abuse, no periods of malnutrition and no records of recurring illness. It was a mystery. The boy had taken his life just before his parents went on their annual holiday and his grandfather came to stay with him. The mystery was solved in reviewing all of this with the parents. The dad broke down and revealed that his father had abused him as a child and now he feared that the same thing had happened to his son. When the police came to inspect the grandads home they found indecent images of child sexual abuse. The boy took his life rather than endure that again. His body showed the stress of the annual event in his bones.

What did I think of it?

I’m still processing it.

On one hand, it was incredibly difficult to read story after story of the horrible things we as humans have done to each other. The creativity in macabre activities is revolting.

In one passage, the author bravely relates her own story of sexual abuse as a child. The way she related the story was breathtaking in its art and visceral details. I’ll never forget it. And, I was impressed with how she’s managed the trauma.

On the other hand, as a Pastor, and as a human, I need to read stories like this occasionally. It bursts my church bubble. It reminds me of the depravity of humanity, and the intense sorrow and heartache and trial and difficulty that far too many people have or are enduring. Evil is real.

It reminded me of “Crime and Punishment” and “Healing the Wounded Heart.”

And, then, I’m amazed at the wonder of the human body and how we were created. It’s marvellous. This author, although an evolutionist, is clearly an admirer of the design.

Her life is inspiring.

Conclusion:

James McDonald (who is now disgraced) was the one that I first heard the encouragement as a preacher to “read widely.” It was good advice. I’m glad I’ve done that. This book has made me a better human. I know the human body better, but, I’m also reminded of the human soul and its condition. It’s also challenging and motivating to glimpse the excellence in someone’s life’s work in a field I would never consider.

What do you think about all that? If you send me a book recommendation in this topic, fair warning, it may take me a while to read it… I like my bubble!

soon!

andy