All That Remains written by Sue Black, is a half science and half memoir on death. Black writes about the duties and commitments of a forensic anthropologist, from identity reconstruction to assisting decisions on the cause and manner of death. The book follows the author’s life, from working in an abattoir as a teenager to becoming a Dame and professor of anatomy and forensic anthropology. She incorporates profoundly personal and shocking events into her work, weaving a theatrical tale of death as a compelling and unpredictable mistress who people should not fear. Life and death are inextricably bound, and one cannot exist without the other, no matter how many advancements are made in modern medicine.
Born in Inverness and educated at the University of Aberdeen, Black went on to become the head of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Dundee. She has developed techniques for the prosecution of criminals based on vein patterns in hands and arms. She has assisted with victim identification in a number of international disasters and conflicts, such as the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and the Kosovo conflict. She details these events in All That Remains, a compassionate, horrendously moving novel that portrays the importance of being a forensic anthropologist, not only in the lab but on a worldwide scale as well. Chapters are dotted with case studies, with several based in Scotland, such as ‘The Man from Balmore’ whose bones are yet to be identified. The book focuses on the nitty-gritty of human anatomy and how this changes over time. It also looks at the fascinating process of decomposition and dismemberment, along with the methods used to identify a person based on their skeletal remains and the process of Disaster Victim Identification. Although her work requires an understandable level of personal distancing, Black writes warmly and intimately whilst never failing to sympathise with the case study victims and their families.
The book explores the many faces and perspectives of death, with the ultimate goal being to reconstruct the life lived through into an exploration of their death. She introduces us to death not as the hooded figure with hostile and unwelcome intentions but as something fundamental and integral to our lives whom we should come to know and understand. As Sue Black says herself, “Surely it is better to be dealing with the devil you know”.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in forensic anthropology, biological sciences, or even those just thrilled by a spot of true crime. Black provides an account that digs deeper beyond the common misconceptions of death by focusing not only on the process of death but also on life and the challenging yet rewarding undertakings that accompany the work of the forensic anthropologist. Despite shying away from any discussion of spiritual or religious belief, which would enhance the book even further, it is tremendously captivating and well worth a read.
