Description: In an attempt to find out what happens when people die, the author of "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers" brings her tireless curiosity to bear on an array of contemporary and historical soul-searchers: scientists, schemers, engineers, mediums, all trying to prove (or disprove) that there is an afterlife.
Brief description: Mary Roach is the author of eight best-selling works of nonfiction, including Grunt, Stiff, and, most recently, Fuzz. Her writing has appeared in National Geographic and the New York Times Magazine, among other publications. She lives in California.