The book is based on a BBC documentary (which was based on Gonzalez-Crussi's work) and provides an easily obtained account of two cases, one mummified, one not. Many people are interested in Eva Peron's mummy--and the author devotes a good part of Chapter 1 to a fairly comprehensive discussion of the politics and mechanics of her preservation. Since it is difficult to find information on Eva Peron in print, I recommend this book for this reason alone. The second interesting case (though not involving preservation) is the death of gangster John Dillinger and the way in which his death site was treated.

Every chapter contains fascinating information. One chapter contains a brief discussion of anatomical museums; another takes the reader to an autopsy of a nine-year-old child. And, of course, a good part of the book concerns Mexico's Day of the Dead. The writing style is conversational, but erudite; you may find yourself searching for a dictionary to look up an occasional word. An intelligent, mesmerizing little book.