- Hardcover: 192 pages
- Publisher: Firefly Books; illustrated edition edition (Sep 7 2002)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1552976254
- ISBN-13: 978-1552976258
- Product Dimensions: 26.2 x 18.8 x 2.1 cm
- Shipping Weight: 807 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#582,853 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #31 in Books > Professional & Technical > Law > Perspectives on Law > Science & Technology
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Details |
Product Description
From School Library Journal
Adult/High School-Ferllini draws on her wide experience to produce a fascinating look at her profession's capability to illuminate history's mysteries and to assist in investigations of crime scenes. She describes a multidisciplinary approach whereby several branches of forensic science-pathology, entomology, botany, and odontology-combine to provide the comprehensive analysis necessary when faced with indeterminate death. After introducing forensic anthropology and describing how bones "do talk," the author devotes the remaining chapters to discussing several diverse forensic challenges: exhumations, surface bodies, "altered remains" (attempts to conceal the deceased's identity), air disasters, fire and explosives, and, finally, genocides and massacres. In each one, she explains the techniques of locating, recovering, and identifying human remains as well as the gathering and examination of evidence. The text is complemented with photos and illustrations, 350 of which are in full color. What teens will find most intriguing are the 29 case studies, ranging from a 1745 murder to the 1996 ValuJet crash in the Florida Everglades, and from the known (the Oklahoma City bombing) to the obscure (the bizarre case of Elmer McCurdy, train robber). Like Henry Lee and Thomas O'Neil's Cracking Cases (Prometheus, 2002) and N. E. Genge's The Forensic Casebook (Ballantine, 2002), this title deals with crime-scene investigation, but Silent Witness expands the perspective.
Dori DeSpain, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Dori DeSpain, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
From Booklist
Forensic anthropologists identify skeletal remains where bones are the only evidence, often by reconstructing the skeleton to analyze the traumas inflicted on the body, whether intentional or accidental. Introducing her profession, Ferllini surveys its techniques and place among the disciplines of pathology applied to solving crimes or establishing identities. Aided by hundreds of color photos, many of them highly graphic, she describes skeletal differences between male and female, between young and old, and then proceeds to analysis of the environment in which the body is found, which invariably leaves tell-tale clues on the bones in the course of decomposition or destruction. Ferllini also discusses intentional postmortem disfigurement of victims, illustrating how forensic anthropology overcame such ghastly attempts to conceal identities to solve several of the 29 cases included here. Other cases examine the victims of air crashes, terrorist bombings, and ethnic or political murder. Although her explanations are clinical, Ferllini yet possesses the ability to communicate the solace that the forensic anthropologist's closure can provide to loved ones and to society at large. Gilbert Taylor
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
The skills of forensic anthropologists are required in a myriad of situations in which human remains need to be identified. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
The skills of forensic anthropologists are required in a myriad of situations in which human remains need to be identified. Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
an excellent book,
This review is from: Silent Witness: How Forensic Anthropology is Used to Solve the World's Toughest Crimes (Paperback)
i picked this book up at the library because i am fascinated by forensics. this book is an excellent source for someone interested in the subject, it is divided into subject chapters with details and photos of real cases. it explains terms very well, i feel anyone interested in forensics would enjoy this book.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Beautiful Book,
By
This review is from: Silent Witness: How Forensic Anthropology is Used to Solve the World's Toughest Crimes (Paperback)
Every so often you come across a book that is just beautiful. You can tell that hours and hours have been put into the design, the layout and the collection of photographs and other graphics to make this book truly stand out from the crowd. This is one of those books.The writing is of a very high standard, with some interesting forensic information that I haven't seen before in other books of this type. In my opinion the author strikes just the right balance of detail; not too light but also not to deep and heavy (after all, this isn't a text book for forensic scientists!) The photographs and case histories have obviously been carefully selected; it would have been all too easy to choose extremely violent and graphic artwork full of blood and gore (criminal forensics is a violent business, after all), but the author has not done this, instead picking out artwork that clearly illustrate her text. This book is a fascinating look into the world of forensic anthropology and is highly recommended.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
3.0 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews) 8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
"SW:..." -- is a Grave Disappointment...!!!,
By Russell A. Rohde MD "Owl" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Silent Witness: How Forensic Anthropology is Used to Solve the World's Toughest Crimes (Paperback)
"Silent Witness:..." by Roxanna Ferllini (Timms), NY, Firefly Books, 2002 - ISBN 1-55297-625-6 (pbk.), 7x10 in., 192 pg., has many photos; glossary, index & bibliography are short."SW:..." invitingly promises more than it gives: It has an bold enticing cover, c. 300 ample-sized full-color photos of crime scenes, criminals, forensic trace evidences & diverse illustrations, etc., on premium stock semi-gloss paper -- obviously a very expensive printing, especially for paperback. Table of contents lists 8 chapters: History of Forensic Anthropology, Bone Talk, Exhumations, Surface Bodies, Altered Remains, Air Disasters, Fires/Explosives & Human Rights. The talky text has many deficiencies: Throughout, it is overly rambling & verbose, i.e., (pg. 157) "Fingerprinting was one of the various processes utilized, and identifications were also made by molecular biologists who applied DNA analysis." Why not say "DNA & fingerprints were used for identification" and use 7 instead of 20 words? Author uses abject word choices, solecism or inaccuracies in medical/forensic phrasing as, i.e., (pg. 27) "since female humans are predisposed to pregnancy and childbirth" is non-comedic, corny. Why not say "childbearing women" and use 2 not 9 words. And, (p. 31), "cygomatics" referencing cheekbones should be "zygomatics", but problematical is wandering & wayword use of medical/forensic jargon as might a lay person. The author's credentials (MA in Biol. Anthro.) are restricted to a 2" small space on the inside back cover & indicates she worked with UK Foreign Office as Forensic Anthropologist in Kosovo and for UN in Rwanda, and her interest in facial reproduction, political conflicts, genocide, & human rights is notable & praiseworthy. Thusly, her final Chapter 8 on Human Rights is the single textual useful strong point of "SW:..." In summary, the book is geared to HS grade level of introductory forensics -- it has many excellent & remarkably good photographs & few hints of favorable text. What this book needs is an insightful editor who could salvage the text of "SW:..." to gain more serious readership, but Chapter 8 is okay. 9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Beautiful Book,
By M. Moffatt - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Silent Witness: How Forensic Anthropology is Used to Solve the World's Toughest Crimes (Paperback)
Every so often you come across a book that is just beautiful. You can tell that hours and hours have been put into the design, the layout and the collection of photographs and other graphics to make this book truly stand out from the crowd. This is one of those books.The writing is of a very high standard, with some interesting forensic information that I haven't seen before in other books of this type. In my opinion the author strikes just the right balance of detail; not too light but also not to deep and heavy (after all, this isn't a text book for forensic scientists!) The photographs and case histories have obviously been carefully selected; it would have been all too easy to choose extremely violent and graphic artwork full of blood and gore (criminal forensics is a violent business, after all), but the author has not done this, instead picking out artwork that clearly illustrate her text. This book is a fascinating look into the world of forensic anthropology and is highly recommended. 3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
an excellent book,
By Buffy Fan "Buffy Fan" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Silent Witness: How Forensic Anthropology is Used to Solve the World's Toughest Crimes (Paperback)
i picked this book up at the library because i am fascinated by forensics. this book is an excellent source for someone interested in the subject, it is divided into subject chapters with details and photos of real cases. it explains terms very well, i feel anyone interested in forensics would enjoy this book.
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