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Dead Center: Behind the Scenes at the World's Largest Medical Examiner's Office
A city with eight million people has eight million ways to die
For fifteen years, Shiya Ribowsky worked as a medicolegal investigator in New York City’s medical examiner’s office—the largest, most sophisticated organization of its kind in the world. Utilizing his background in medicine, he led the investigations of more than eight thousand individual deaths, becoming a key figure in some of New York’s most bizarre death cases and eventually taking charge of the largest forensic investigation ever attempted: identifying the dead in the aftermath of the September 11 tragedies.
Now, in this mesmerizing book, Ribowsky pulls back the curtain on the New York City’s medical examiner’s office, giving an enthralling, never-before-seen glimpse into death and the city. Born and raised in New York City’s orthodox Jewish community, Ribowsky seems an unlikely candidate for this macabre profession. Nevertheless he has forsaken a promising career of medical work with the living, descending instead into the realm of the dead, enticed by the challenge of confronting death on a daily basis. Taking you through the vermin-infested Bowery flophouses and posh Upper East Side apartments of the city’s dead, Ribowsky explores in gruesome detail the skeletons that hang in the Big Apple’s closets. Combing through the autopsy room, he also exposes the grim secrets that only a scalpel and a dead body can tell and explains how forensic investigation does not merely solve crimes—it saves lives.
But it is in the aftermath of September 11 that the ME’s office is handed its biggest challenge: to identify as many of the fallen as possible. With poignant descriptions, Ribowsky provides a dramatic account of the office’s diligent and unflappable work with the families of the victims, helping them emerge from the ashes of this tragedy while displaying the strength, grit, intelligence, and compassion that Americans expect from true New Yorkers.
At once compelling and heartbreaking, Dead Center is a story of New York unlike any other, blending the haunting with the sublime, while painting a striking portrait of death (and life) in the city that never sleeps.
For fifteen years, Shiya Ribowsky worked as a medicolegal investigator in New York City’s medical examiner’s office—the largest, most sophisticated organization of its kind in the world. Utilizing his background in medicine, he led the investigations of more than eight thousand individual deaths, becoming a key figure in some of New York’s most bizarre death cases and eventually taking charge of the largest forensic investigation ever attempted: identifying the dead in the aftermath of the September 11 tragedies.
Now, in this mesmerizing book, Ribowsky pulls back the curtain on the New York City’s medical examiner’s office, giving an enthralling, never-before-seen glimpse into death and the city. Born and raised in New York City’s orthodox Jewish community, Ribowsky seems an unlikely candidate for this macabre profession. Nevertheless he has forsaken a promising career of medical work with the living, descending instead into the realm of the dead, enticed by the challenge of confronting death on a daily basis. Taking you through the vermin-infested Bowery flophouses and posh Upper East Side apartments of the city’s dead, Ribowsky explores in gruesome detail the skeletons that hang in the Big Apple’s closets. Combing through the autopsy room, he also exposes the grim secrets that only a scalpel and a dead body can tell and explains how forensic investigation does not merely solve crimes—it saves lives.
But it is in the aftermath of September 11 that the ME’s office is handed its biggest challenge: to identify as many of the fallen as possible. With poignant descriptions, Ribowsky provides a dramatic account of the office’s diligent and unflappable work with the families of the victims, helping them emerge from the ashes of this tragedy while displaying the strength, grit, intelligence, and compassion that Americans expect from true New Yorkers.
At once compelling and heartbreaking, Dead Center is a story of New York unlike any other, blending the haunting with the sublime, while painting a striking portrait of death (and life) in the city that never sleeps.
262 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2006
About the author
Shiya Ribowsky
2 books8 followersShiya Ribowsky is the former director of special projects at the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office. He is one of America’s most experienced medicolegal investigators. Also the forensics consultant to Law & Order, he lives in Long Island, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
September 13, 2011
Dead Center: Behind the Scenes at the World's Largest Medical Examiner's Office was not quite what I was expecting. I found the forensic information, exploration of the common myths of forensic science and Shiya Ribowsky's behind-the-scenes look at the role of PA’s and the working of the ME’s Office incredibly fascinating. However, I found the second half of the book rather tedious, which focused on the identification and information management processes that were implemented in NYC following the 9/11 attacks.
Memorable Quotes
Memorable Quotes
"Death is still, cold, quiet, and gray. Life is moving, warm, noisy, and full of color. The opposite of life is not only death, it is also the absence of joy."
"By the time we get involved with a body, death has come and gone, leaving us with only the empty shell, the abandoned luggage of what was once a human being."
"Death merely heralds the beginning of our work."
"It takes a special kind of fortitude to willingly confront and interact with a rotting body, or one that is cut up into pieces. And it takes a person who understands the social necessity of this act to do it properly."
"Reality is messier, slower, and less dependent on star detectives."
"In cultures different from the United States, suicide is not considered a failure of the courage to face life, but as a legitimate response to certain life situations."
"...the dead always have something to teach the living."
March 12, 2022
I like the stories Ribowsky has to tell about his upbringing, training, and life as an ME, but I was surprised at how police-leaning Ribowsky's job is. He's not the 'hang out in the morgue and dissect bodies all day' medical examiner, he's the 'go to crime scenes to work and emphasize with cops' medical examiner. He transitions to management later in his career, getting even further away from the autopsy table.
That may be great for some but I'm here for the medicine, and there's not much of it. I was also hoping for better writing, especially considering there's a coauthor credit, but that left me disappointed too.
I'm glad I read it for the "only in New York" stories, but it doesn't get a place on my keeper shelf.
That may be great for some but I'm here for the medicine, and there's not much of it. I was also hoping for better writing, especially considering there's a coauthor credit, but that left me disappointed too.
I'm glad I read it for the "only in New York" stories, but it doesn't get a place on my keeper shelf.
August 30, 2012
Although the title interested me, I quickly discovered that the majority of the book was self-centered on the author, and not totally on the job. I was hoping it would be more telling of the career and not on the author himself and how he managed his time as ME and cantor for church.
December 4, 2024
meandering. self congratulatory.
this reads like listening to your friend's least favourite coworker talk about their day at work.
this reads like listening to your friend's least favourite coworker talk about their day at work.
October 12, 2026
How does one end up working with corpses? What twisted and peculiar path can possibly lead a person with an inclination for the medical profession to switch sides from helping the living to dealing with the dead?
In his book, “Dead Center: Behind the Scenes at the World's Largest Medical Examiner's Office”, Shiya Ribowsky provides us with the answer. “If your patients were dead, Shiya, you could probably sit through a concert without interruption.”
Working crazy hours as a physician assistant, contemplating a career change but reluctant to take the plunge because of a decrease in pay and other reservations, Shiya Ribowsky received his wake-up call – literally, fifteen of them – during a concert. That night, he went to enjoy the music and a few peaceful hours, only to be pulled out of his seat fifteen times by his work pager. The decision was made. He replied to an advertisement in the New York Times, applying for a medicolegal investigator (MLI) position in the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME), was accepted, and his life took a sharp turn for the next few decades.
“Though it was this fascination with death that led many of us to the industry, in reality our days are filled not with death itself or the struggle to know death, but with cleaning up after it.” The author goes into fascinating detail describing what ‘cleaning after death’ entails in his job.
The author’s words that people shouldn’t view dead bodies and the autopsy process as icky made me smile. He expands on his opinion, stating that a dead body isn’t a person who used to inhabit it; thus, it should be viewed as an inanimate object, an artifact. While I certainly see the logic here, there still should be a distinction between people in terms of their ability to keep their composure at the sight of human remains. First, there is an inherent resilience. Second, an acquired habit. And third, which is the most important, I think, is the impossibility of staying indifferent or at least reasonably objective upon seeing the dead body of someone familiar. For most people who aren’t exposed to encountering dead bodies professionally – policemen, medical personnel, etc. – if they happen to find themselves in the company of a deceased person, it is likely that they have had some connection to them.
I admit that my ickiness level is extremely low. Nevertheless, I found the meticulous description of the autopsy process totally engrossing. I would never consider witnessing it in person, but reading about it, I didn’t skip a single line.
Still, the part of the book that absorbed my attention in full is where the author shares about the effort in identifying the victims of the 9/11 attack. I recently read a memoir by the New York City firefighter Joseph Pfeifer, who was the first firefighter chief to arrive at the World Trade Centre, minutes after the first plane hit. This book affected me deeply, and I still carry the story within me. So, I was drawn to learn about the tragedy from a different perspective. Now, to have the complete perspective, I have to read a memoir written by an NYPD officer.
In 2001, the author was a director of identifications at the OCME. By then, he had more than a decade of experience. He had seen bodies in all possible stages of decay. For him, every possible cause of death was not simply the words in the form; for each, he could draw a picture from his memory. He was in the middle of the avalanche of homicides that swept over New York City at the beginning of the 1990s. If Shiya Ribowsky had not considered that he had seen it all, he must have realised that he had seen much more than an average person. And yet, what he had to work with and experience at his job after 9/11 paled in comparison.
No need for many words here. One quote suffices. “How do you tell a grieving, frightened widow, “No, we haven’t seen him. I have seen only pieces of what used to be people”?”
The WTC victim identification effort lasted for several years. Being as busy as he and the team involved were, the author had not noticed when the rest of the world, including his own organisation, became impatient to move on. In 2005, one of the senior members of OCME’s administration told him: “I hate the families,” meaning the families of the 9/11 victims. I understand why the author chose to move on and leave the OCME. He realised that people felt tired and stuck in the situation created by the aftermath of 9/11 for the city services like theirs: the police, the fire department and others. Regardless, he himself, as I imagine, could not simply discard something that constituted his life for years like trash. Especially not something as tremendous as helping thousands of people to find peace after the biggest tragedy of their lives.
I am glad that the author found ways to go on with his life and career, including an exciting and satisfying role as a consultant for the ‘Law & Order’ series.
This memoir was a truly fascinating read. My only, not really a complaint but a subjective remark, is that I’d have preferred it to be two separate books. One dedicated to the author’s work as an MLI and the other focused solely on the 9/11 victim identification effort.
In his book, “Dead Center: Behind the Scenes at the World's Largest Medical Examiner's Office”, Shiya Ribowsky provides us with the answer. “If your patients were dead, Shiya, you could probably sit through a concert without interruption.”
Working crazy hours as a physician assistant, contemplating a career change but reluctant to take the plunge because of a decrease in pay and other reservations, Shiya Ribowsky received his wake-up call – literally, fifteen of them – during a concert. That night, he went to enjoy the music and a few peaceful hours, only to be pulled out of his seat fifteen times by his work pager. The decision was made. He replied to an advertisement in the New York Times, applying for a medicolegal investigator (MLI) position in the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME), was accepted, and his life took a sharp turn for the next few decades.
“Though it was this fascination with death that led many of us to the industry, in reality our days are filled not with death itself or the struggle to know death, but with cleaning up after it.” The author goes into fascinating detail describing what ‘cleaning after death’ entails in his job.
The author’s words that people shouldn’t view dead bodies and the autopsy process as icky made me smile. He expands on his opinion, stating that a dead body isn’t a person who used to inhabit it; thus, it should be viewed as an inanimate object, an artifact. While I certainly see the logic here, there still should be a distinction between people in terms of their ability to keep their composure at the sight of human remains. First, there is an inherent resilience. Second, an acquired habit. And third, which is the most important, I think, is the impossibility of staying indifferent or at least reasonably objective upon seeing the dead body of someone familiar. For most people who aren’t exposed to encountering dead bodies professionally – policemen, medical personnel, etc. – if they happen to find themselves in the company of a deceased person, it is likely that they have had some connection to them.
I admit that my ickiness level is extremely low. Nevertheless, I found the meticulous description of the autopsy process totally engrossing. I would never consider witnessing it in person, but reading about it, I didn’t skip a single line.
Still, the part of the book that absorbed my attention in full is where the author shares about the effort in identifying the victims of the 9/11 attack. I recently read a memoir by the New York City firefighter Joseph Pfeifer, who was the first firefighter chief to arrive at the World Trade Centre, minutes after the first plane hit. This book affected me deeply, and I still carry the story within me. So, I was drawn to learn about the tragedy from a different perspective. Now, to have the complete perspective, I have to read a memoir written by an NYPD officer.
In 2001, the author was a director of identifications at the OCME. By then, he had more than a decade of experience. He had seen bodies in all possible stages of decay. For him, every possible cause of death was not simply the words in the form; for each, he could draw a picture from his memory. He was in the middle of the avalanche of homicides that swept over New York City at the beginning of the 1990s. If Shiya Ribowsky had not considered that he had seen it all, he must have realised that he had seen much more than an average person. And yet, what he had to work with and experience at his job after 9/11 paled in comparison.
No need for many words here. One quote suffices. “How do you tell a grieving, frightened widow, “No, we haven’t seen him. I have seen only pieces of what used to be people”?”
The WTC victim identification effort lasted for several years. Being as busy as he and the team involved were, the author had not noticed when the rest of the world, including his own organisation, became impatient to move on. In 2005, one of the senior members of OCME’s administration told him: “I hate the families,” meaning the families of the 9/11 victims. I understand why the author chose to move on and leave the OCME. He realised that people felt tired and stuck in the situation created by the aftermath of 9/11 for the city services like theirs: the police, the fire department and others. Regardless, he himself, as I imagine, could not simply discard something that constituted his life for years like trash. Especially not something as tremendous as helping thousands of people to find peace after the biggest tragedy of their lives.
I am glad that the author found ways to go on with his life and career, including an exciting and satisfying role as a consultant for the ‘Law & Order’ series.
This memoir was a truly fascinating read. My only, not really a complaint but a subjective remark, is that I’d have preferred it to be two separate books. One dedicated to the author’s work as an MLI and the other focused solely on the 9/11 victim identification effort.
February 16, 2014
An interesting read about crime scene investigation. All of the identification information was a bit too much for me. I skimmed through quite a bit of it.
Also, the author comes off as quite arrogant, but that may be due to the writing style which is very "I" focused...then on the other hand the photo on the back had me cracking up... seriously, a cemetery photo??
Also, the author comes off as quite arrogant, but that may be due to the writing style which is very "I" focused...then on the other hand the photo on the back had me cracking up... seriously, a cemetery photo??
July 9, 2013
A fascinating look at the work of a Medico-Legal Investigator for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in NYC. I only meant to peek at it for a second and ended up reading the whole thing in an afternoon. The running of the morgue and the work with doctors and hospitals and police and families was very fascinating. (Interestingly, the medical advisor at my job has made statements agreeing with the author that most doctors do not have the foggies idea how to fill out a death certificate and that no one should take one at face value unless issued after an autopsy.)
Most interesting and compelling and heartbreaking was the discussion of the aftermath of 9/11. The author was at that time in charge of handling the identification of the dead, which turned into a gargantuan task after 9/11 given the state of the remains recovered. He provided an absolutely fascinating look at the organization and management of the system he had to devise on the spot and at the things that went wrong (surprisingly few) and the things that were learned from the horror of it all. I learned quite a few things from this book that were never discussed in the news coverage -- the hard feelings that exist between the NYPD and FDNY and the families over the 2 classifications of victims and the disparate treatment, the length of time the fire continued to burn and the details of deaths, the fact that remains of four of the hijackers were found and identified but no death certificate has ever been issued, and the sheer outpouring of appreciation that the OCME team received doing their difficult work.
Altogether a great read and one that will likely stick with me for a while.
Most interesting and compelling and heartbreaking was the discussion of the aftermath of 9/11. The author was at that time in charge of handling the identification of the dead, which turned into a gargantuan task after 9/11 given the state of the remains recovered. He provided an absolutely fascinating look at the organization and management of the system he had to devise on the spot and at the things that went wrong (surprisingly few) and the things that were learned from the horror of it all. I learned quite a few things from this book that were never discussed in the news coverage -- the hard feelings that exist between the NYPD and FDNY and the families over the 2 classifications of victims and the disparate treatment, the length of time the fire continued to burn and the details of deaths, the fact that remains of four of the hijackers were found and identified but no death certificate has ever been issued, and the sheer outpouring of appreciation that the OCME team received doing their difficult work.
Altogether a great read and one that will likely stick with me for a while.
July 8, 2008
borrrrrrrring...
March 15, 2019
a really fascinating look at a different facet of a working medical examiner's office (the medical-investigator side, versus my previous readings about being the actual medical examiner doing the autopsies, that is). shiya ribowski was an orthodox jew who became a physician's assistant, sort of a doctor-lite, attempted to become an attorney, and then ultimately became a medico-legal investigator for the ME's office, which is essentially the dude who goes to the sites of the murders (and also totally non-exciting natural deaths, etc.) and determines that they are actually murders (or natural deaths, or accidents, or what have you). along the way he leaves the orthodox jewish community, climbs the ladder of management at the ME's office, develops insanely complex systems to deal with the aftermath of 9/11, and then goes on to write this book. i liked his writing style because this book felt like it was being narrated to me by a friendly robot. he's very straightforward and concise, but with occasional stiff little digs thrown in as if to say, 'see, i'm fun?'
my one complaint is that, while 9/11 was an insane tragedy, obviously, and the incredibly hard work he and his office did in the aftermath of that tragedy was also the pinnacle of his career as an MLI, i could have used a little less detail about the systems and politics of 9/11 body retrieval and identification, and more stories about bodies found in fucked up places and covered in fucked up shit (for example, early in his career at the ME's office, he finds the corpse of an alcoholic who has an active maggot infestation in his crotch, and that infestation was there BEFORE the man was dead. whaaaaaaaaaat?!) i know it's horrible and morbid to be so curious about the gross aspects of this job, but what can i say, i'm a monster. also, and this is true, the most fascinating aspect of this type of book for me is the glimpse you get into the utterly unfathomable lives of other people- i mean, i can't imagine a life in which i have a maggot infestation in my crotch? i didn't know that was a thing that was possible? utterly. unfathomable. and while some of it is that rubbernecking thing we all look down on and yet all do, some of it really is trying to expand my world-view and the reach of my sympathy for others. it's true, i swear!
my one complaint is that, while 9/11 was an insane tragedy, obviously, and the incredibly hard work he and his office did in the aftermath of that tragedy was also the pinnacle of his career as an MLI, i could have used a little less detail about the systems and politics of 9/11 body retrieval and identification, and more stories about bodies found in fucked up places and covered in fucked up shit (for example, early in his career at the ME's office, he finds the corpse of an alcoholic who has an active maggot infestation in his crotch, and that infestation was there BEFORE the man was dead. whaaaaaaaaaat?!) i know it's horrible and morbid to be so curious about the gross aspects of this job, but what can i say, i'm a monster. also, and this is true, the most fascinating aspect of this type of book for me is the glimpse you get into the utterly unfathomable lives of other people- i mean, i can't imagine a life in which i have a maggot infestation in my crotch? i didn't know that was a thing that was possible? utterly. unfathomable. and while some of it is that rubbernecking thing we all look down on and yet all do, some of it really is trying to expand my world-view and the reach of my sympathy for others. it's true, i swear!
Read
January 1, 2023DNF po pierwszym rozdziale. Blurb obiecuje książkę poziomu „Ciało nie kłamie”, gdzie od samego początku było dużo ciekawych rzeczy w temacie. Ta książka to wstęp zawierający opis Wielkiej Tragedii 9/11 (bynajmniej nie z punktu widzenia koronera), a pierwszy rozdział to opis dzieciństwa autora i społeczności żydowskiej (sic!). W 2023 nie będę męczyć się nad książkami, które nie dają od razu tego co obiecują.
August 20, 2026
I only wish it had been longer
“Around seventy thousand people die each year in New York City, […] [m]ore than a third of the city’s yearly toll of deaths will be reported to the ME’s office because they match certain criteria and therefore fall within our jurisdiction.” Shiya Ribowski, director of identifications at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of New York City when 9/11 happened, takes us “behind the curtain” first taking us through parts of his long career with the OCME, differentiating between fact and crime show fiction up to the Herculean task and effort of identifying the remains of the victims of 9/11 from the over 20,000 remains recovered from Ground Zero. A fascinating read, I only wish it had been longer.
“Around seventy thousand people die each year in New York City, […] [m]ore than a third of the city’s yearly toll of deaths will be reported to the ME’s office because they match certain criteria and therefore fall within our jurisdiction.” Shiya Ribowski, director of identifications at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of New York City when 9/11 happened, takes us “behind the curtain” first taking us through parts of his long career with the OCME, differentiating between fact and crime show fiction up to the Herculean task and effort of identifying the remains of the victims of 9/11 from the over 20,000 remains recovered from Ground Zero. A fascinating read, I only wish it had been longer.
October 20, 2022
Do polowy była cudowna a potem jak zaczął się temat WTC wszytko bylo przedstawione chaotyczne ale bardzo ciekawy temat.
January 3, 2024
3.5⭐️
January 21, 2025
siempre me comeré con patatas un libro escrito por un me/mli q trabaja en el ocme y q dedica cinco capítulos a hablar del 11s............ en fin yo quiero trabajar ahí me da fomo
March 13, 2022
I suppose one can think me a bit morbid, considering my tendency to read any Holocaust narrative I can get my hands on, as well as books having to do with death, dying, and forensic science. It’s such a taboo subject for most people, and to be honest, I’m not sure why. Death is a part of life, and modern America really needs to comes to terms with that.
I was a little hesitant to read this book once I realized how much of it was going to be centered on the World Trade Centers disaster on September 11, 2001. My father worked at the Pentagon at the time, and I spent much of the day wondering if he were alive. To this day, footage of the towers makes me tear up, even in passing like in a movie or a photograph.
But I wanted to read this book for the stories that Ribowsky has to tell. It’s clear that the NYC medical examiner’s office is now one of the best in the nation, but it’s a little mind-boggling to realize that before the office started training medicolegal investigators like Ribowsky that most deaths were investigated by police officers who didn’t much care for the overload of paperwork that most of these deaths required. It makes so much more sense to have these specific investigators looking into these deaths, if only to give comfort for their surviving family members.
While I enjoyed the stories that Ribowsky shared with his readers, I would have liked a little more of the scientific side of things. He tends to keep his tales just about what happened, with very little description of the medical and scientific ways in which he carried out his investigations. Too often, he resorts to shock value, like the time a rookie cop broke into an apartment, only to come crashing down into the decomposing body of the decedent, causing him to bolt out of the apartment and down the street, carrying decomposition fluids with him.
Ribowsky may also want to revisit this book and update some of his language to reflect the better sensitivity we have about certain subjects now. He tells us of a “transvestite” that had passed away, and her friends had discovered a mummy in her closet. For one thing, that’s not a word we use anymore; the person could have been transgender or even just a drag queen as a hobby. Ribowsky also used the feminine pronouns when referring to this person, but the first time he used them, he put “her” in quotes, which I find jarring and distasteful. The “open amusement” the cops displayed while Ribowsky “waded” through the feminine accoutrements of the deceased person also didn’t set well with me. I realize that we’ve come a long way from the 1990s when this was more acceptable, but Ribowsky could absolutely have told this story in a much more sensitive way.
While the second half of the book brought up a lot of memories of that terrible day in 2001, I can appreciate how quickly the OCME was able to set up a computerized database to handle the scores of information that was arising with every moment, plus the efficient ways in which the office received and cataloged all of the remains and belongings of those who perished in the attacks. For those who are interested in that sort of thing, this book may be right up their alley.
This was definitely an interesting peek behind doors that are usually closed to most people, but I would have liked a little more science and medicine behind the stories.
I was a little hesitant to read this book once I realized how much of it was going to be centered on the World Trade Centers disaster on September 11, 2001. My father worked at the Pentagon at the time, and I spent much of the day wondering if he were alive. To this day, footage of the towers makes me tear up, even in passing like in a movie or a photograph.
But I wanted to read this book for the stories that Ribowsky has to tell. It’s clear that the NYC medical examiner’s office is now one of the best in the nation, but it’s a little mind-boggling to realize that before the office started training medicolegal investigators like Ribowsky that most deaths were investigated by police officers who didn’t much care for the overload of paperwork that most of these deaths required. It makes so much more sense to have these specific investigators looking into these deaths, if only to give comfort for their surviving family members.
While I enjoyed the stories that Ribowsky shared with his readers, I would have liked a little more of the scientific side of things. He tends to keep his tales just about what happened, with very little description of the medical and scientific ways in which he carried out his investigations. Too often, he resorts to shock value, like the time a rookie cop broke into an apartment, only to come crashing down into the decomposing body of the decedent, causing him to bolt out of the apartment and down the street, carrying decomposition fluids with him.
Ribowsky may also want to revisit this book and update some of his language to reflect the better sensitivity we have about certain subjects now. He tells us of a “transvestite” that had passed away, and her friends had discovered a mummy in her closet. For one thing, that’s not a word we use anymore; the person could have been transgender or even just a drag queen as a hobby. Ribowsky also used the feminine pronouns when referring to this person, but the first time he used them, he put “her” in quotes, which I find jarring and distasteful. The “open amusement” the cops displayed while Ribowsky “waded” through the feminine accoutrements of the deceased person also didn’t set well with me. I realize that we’ve come a long way from the 1990s when this was more acceptable, but Ribowsky could absolutely have told this story in a much more sensitive way.
While the second half of the book brought up a lot of memories of that terrible day in 2001, I can appreciate how quickly the OCME was able to set up a computerized database to handle the scores of information that was arising with every moment, plus the efficient ways in which the office received and cataloged all of the remains and belongings of those who perished in the attacks. For those who are interested in that sort of thing, this book may be right up their alley.
This was definitely an interesting peek behind doors that are usually closed to most people, but I would have liked a little more science and medicine behind the stories.
February 2, 2013
In Dead Center we get to learn about a part of society that most of us probably don’t think about very much – what happens to our bodies when we die. This could be a very morbid or gruesome topic, but the author focuses on a variety of things other than the gore. First, we learn about what challenges face MLI’s (medicological investigators), including everything from identifying cause of death to interacting compassionately with grieving families. We also learn what characteristics make a good MLI. Next, there are stories ranging from the funny or bizarre to the emotional and moving – a recap of some of the author’s most interesting experiences. And finally, we hear about the author’s biggest challenge working as an MLI in charge of identifying all remains found at Ground Zero – a process that took over 4 years.
So, as I said, this could have been horrible and gruesome, but it definitely wasn’t. I wouldn’t recommend it to someone who is unusually squeamish, since an autopsy and the results of 9/11 on the victims’ bodies are both described. However, these details are described tactfully and for someone of normal sensitivity, I believe that they’re moving but bearable. The author’s training mixing compassion for families with professional detachment lends itself to the perfect tone for this book. He never seems callous. Rather, he takes his responsibilities to the families of the dead quite seriously despite focusing somewhat on his professional concerns in the wake of a disaster.
I found this book to be a fascinating look at a facet of life we largely take for granted. Like the people who create our food, the people who handle death are an overlooked industry. Part of why I love non-fiction is the ability to explore these sort of experiences that I wouldn’t encounter otherwise. Many of the stories he shares are moving and some are even funny (often those that end up not involving a dead person after all). His tone is that of a friend telling you about his interesting job experiences. The many stories are only connected by a loose chronological ordering, but they flow smoothly together. Interwoven with these interesting and emotional stories are the author’s musings on the place of his profession in society, their relation to law enforcement, and other philosophical issues. For me, this changed the book from just a parade of stories for the observing reader to an engaging and educational book which made me aware of societal concerns I was previously ignorant of. This made for both an interesting and an informative read.
This review first published on Doing Dewey.
So, as I said, this could have been horrible and gruesome, but it definitely wasn’t. I wouldn’t recommend it to someone who is unusually squeamish, since an autopsy and the results of 9/11 on the victims’ bodies are both described. However, these details are described tactfully and for someone of normal sensitivity, I believe that they’re moving but bearable. The author’s training mixing compassion for families with professional detachment lends itself to the perfect tone for this book. He never seems callous. Rather, he takes his responsibilities to the families of the dead quite seriously despite focusing somewhat on his professional concerns in the wake of a disaster.
I found this book to be a fascinating look at a facet of life we largely take for granted. Like the people who create our food, the people who handle death are an overlooked industry. Part of why I love non-fiction is the ability to explore these sort of experiences that I wouldn’t encounter otherwise. Many of the stories he shares are moving and some are even funny (often those that end up not involving a dead person after all). His tone is that of a friend telling you about his interesting job experiences. The many stories are only connected by a loose chronological ordering, but they flow smoothly together. Interwoven with these interesting and emotional stories are the author’s musings on the place of his profession in society, their relation to law enforcement, and other philosophical issues. For me, this changed the book from just a parade of stories for the observing reader to an engaging and educational book which made me aware of societal concerns I was previously ignorant of. This made for both an interesting and an informative read.
This review first published on Doing Dewey.
November 14, 2016
I don't remember where I ran across this title, but it doesn't much matter. This is a memoir of a Jewish Cantor who becomes a Physician's Assistant (PA) and takes a job working for the City of New York doing body removals and autopsies in the 1990's through the early 2000's. He describes his very Orthodox upbringing and a bit of his family life while also escorting the reader through his decision to become a medicolegal investigator and the subsequent training that he endured. He has a wealth of stories, about Rabbinical autopsies (which I did not know existed), how to do a proper autopsy from start to finish (just in case you wanted to start doing them in your garage, you know), and the many and varied secrets that the dead carry with them. As someone who is always interested in true crimes, I found this to be incredibly fascinating stuff.
He also writes for just under half the book or so about the events of 09/11 at the World Trade Center, and his involvement with locating and identifying the dead. Here are even more tidbits of information than you would have ever thought of....such as the body parts with an identification on them that didn't match the owner of the body part, or the task of how to categorize all of the body parts and how to match them up with their grieving family members. Here, too, he addresses what happened to the terrorists at the World Trade Center, after the crash. This book is a wealth of information for the true crime aficionado as well as anyone who might have an interest in autopsies and the funeral industry. There are some re-created violent scenes and of course blood and guts. I really enjoyed reading this.
He also writes for just under half the book or so about the events of 09/11 at the World Trade Center, and his involvement with locating and identifying the dead. Here are even more tidbits of information than you would have ever thought of....such as the body parts with an identification on them that didn't match the owner of the body part, or the task of how to categorize all of the body parts and how to match them up with their grieving family members. Here, too, he addresses what happened to the terrorists at the World Trade Center, after the crash. This book is a wealth of information for the true crime aficionado as well as anyone who might have an interest in autopsies and the funeral industry. There are some re-created violent scenes and of course blood and guts. I really enjoyed reading this.
April 28, 2020
A look at what goes on in a medical examiner's office in New York City. I thought it was very interesting when he compared the real-life job to what you see on television. Doing a search for the author I learned that he is a consultant for the TV show Prodigal Son so that it is as true to life as possible. I am going to check out that show. He was in New York and in charge of the forensic department during the 9/11 attacks. It was amazing how much work went into identifying as many bodies as possible, even though most bodies were in fragments. The only thing I wish is that he would have gone more in depth with some of the stories, but I think what he told was what he knew from the medical's examiner's standpoint.
June 21, 2009
The author is a PA, so that hooked me right there. It is exciting to learn about the amazing things that PA's are doing in the world.
To say that I enjoyed the book might lead some to believe that I am a bit morbid....a book about the medical examiners office in NYC would not appeal to everyone, but I guess I am a bit morbid. I liked reading the apalling/appealing stories of how people have died and what our society says is ok to do behind closed doors to them.
It was a fast easy read, but I probably won't read it again. I'll loan it to my sister and my dad, from whom I most likely inherited my morbid interests.
To say that I enjoyed the book might lead some to believe that I am a bit morbid....a book about the medical examiners office in NYC would not appeal to everyone, but I guess I am a bit morbid. I liked reading the apalling/appealing stories of how people have died and what our society says is ok to do behind closed doors to them.
It was a fast easy read, but I probably won't read it again. I'll loan it to my sister and my dad, from whom I most likely inherited my morbid interests.
July 22, 2013
The author worked as a medicolegal examiner for the NYC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. His job was to go into the field when a dead body was located, and determine whether it needed to come in for autopsy or whether it was obviously a natural cause. After working there for years, he was elevated to the position of chief of identifications, which was the position he held on 9/11.
I bought the book for the 9/11 aspect, which was interesting. The process they went through, to the tune of about $8 million, to identify every one of the 20,000 human remains they found was exhausting, but apparently a very heart-felt mission for the OCME employees. It was a good read.
I bought the book for the 9/11 aspect, which was interesting. The process they went through, to the tune of about $8 million, to identify every one of the 20,000 human remains they found was exhausting, but apparently a very heart-felt mission for the OCME employees. It was a good read.
November 13, 2008
The first third of this book dragged. I am nuts for books about forensics and it's rare for me to be bored with the topic! The most riveting part of the book dealt with identifying remains from the Twin Towers after 9/11 -- the scope of the task, how the identification process was set up, etc. After reading about it, I am amazed that so many bodies were eventually identified. This book would be of interest to readers interested in forensics, if you can get past the portions that drag. The book cries out for tighter editing.
November 27, 2010
First half of the book: 4 stars for all the forensic information and a pretty clear and detailed description of the New York Medical Examiner's office and daily activity. I also enjoyed the personal information the author shared about his Jewish background.
Second half of the book: 2 stars for not being as good as the first half. I was disappointed that the World Trade Center bombings and subsequent victim identification process pretty much took over the rest of the book.
All in all, quite an interesting read.
Second half of the book: 2 stars for not being as good as the first half. I was disappointed that the World Trade Center bombings and subsequent victim identification process pretty much took over the rest of the book.
All in all, quite an interesting read.
May 19, 2010
A fascinating look into the workings of New York City's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, and at the work they did to identify victims of the WTC bombings. At times slightly gruesome, this book is not for the faint of heart.
One complaint: poor editing! I found four instances where the author and/or editor used "then" when he should have used "than", along with other errors like the word "think" showing up where the author meant "thing".
One complaint: poor editing! I found four instances where the author and/or editor used "then" when he should have used "than", along with other errors like the word "think" showing up where the author meant "thing".
June 8, 2011
This was a fascinating glimpse into a world I only know about from TV shows. It was very well written and brought up things I couldn't even fathom--like doctors fudging on cause of death, people pronounced dead at scenes of a crime who were actually still alive, and all sorts of intriguing insider's glimpses into the 9/11 disaster and recovery. It pulls no punches when it comes to descriptions of autopsies and crime scenes, so you'll need a strong stomach.
January 16, 2016
This was an OK read. I learned a whole lot about the cleanup efforts after the WTC bombing and about New York City's OCME in general, but I have to say someone should have told the authors that it's better to show than to tell. The writing style was amazingly teacherly and lacked any zip -- he tells us he was upset or elated or moved, but not by what. This could have been a five-star effort if they had gone ahead and described what they were talking about.
January 29, 2010
An interesting book that details the work of a Medicolegal Investigator or in layman's terms a death scene investigator. He had some very interesting stories, although some were a little graphic. The last third was tough because it dealt the work in identifying the victims in 9/11 and informing their families.
January 2, 2011
An interesting read about the inner workings of the Chief Medical Examiner's Office in New York City. Unlike a lot of the other reviewers, I found the section about their response to the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent identification efforts fascinating. Perhaps it wasn't their cup of tea, but it will be of interest to science buffs.
July 26, 2008
This was an interesting look at how the ME's Office works in NYC. It also offers a behind the scenes look at the processing and procedures involved in 9/11. Given that I considered being an ME, I found this to be facsinating!
March 10, 2010
Interesting read from the head of the Medical Examiner's office in New York City. Most attention will be on the descriptions of the logistics of handling the aftermath of 9/11 but there are plenty of other interesting anecdotes from a world spent with the dead.
August 27, 2012
I enjoyed this book alot. It was interesting following along with him to find gruesome death scenes. I also enjoyed his stint working on the set of Law & Order. The work he did with the WTC victim's families was very heartfelt.
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