Synopses & Reviews
When he's not at a notorious disaster, Doug Owsley is entering tombs and crypts, unwrapping mummies, or climbing into caves to unlock the secrets of bones.
In No Bone Unturned, investigative journalist Jeff Benedict not only unveils a compelling portrait of the man behind America's most notorious cases but also gives us a fascinating look inside the world of forensic science as seen through the eyes of a leading specialist.
Doug Owsley's extraordinary talent has put his phone number on speed dial for federal agencies, from the FBI to the CIA and the State Department. When the Branch Davidian compound in Waco caught fire, when a terrorist-flown plane crashed into the Pentagon, and when mass graves were uncovered in Croatia, the authorities called Owsley. Through cutting-edge science, instinctive artistry, and dogged tenacity, Owsley painstakingly rebuilds the skeleton, and helps identify it and determine the cause of death.
A curator for the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History, Doug Owsley has handled over ten thousand human skeletons, more than anyone else in America. He has worked with America's historic skeletons, from, colonial Jamestown burials to Plains Indians to Civil War soldiers to skeletons tens of thousands of years old.
That includes the Kennewick Man, a 9,600-year-old human skeleton found in shallow water along the banks of Washington State's Columbia River. It was a skeleton that would turn Owsley's life upside down.
Days before Owsley was scheduled to begin studying the skeleton, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers seized it and announced they would repatriate Kennewick Man, burying his bones on the land of the Native American tribes who claimed him. Along with seven of America's leading scientists, Owsley sued the U.S. government over custody. At stake was a wide body of knowledge about our past and our history that would be lost forever if the bones were reburied. For six years, Owsley fought a legal and political battle that put everything at risk, jeopardizing his career and his reputation.
Review
"[A] fast and exciting read up to the legal battle, where Benedict's recreation of the courtroom confrontations...slows the pace considerably....[W]ill appeal to both science and legal buffs looking for a good weekend read." Publishers Weekly
Review
"With a sympathetic profile of Owsley and his career presented within a narrative paced by the litigation, Benedict's book will appeal to those interested in the field of forensic anthropology." Gilbert Taylor, Booklist
Review
"Though sifting through bones may seem dry as dust, Owsley is clearly energized by the prospect and Benedict, to his credit, manages to convey some of his fascination to us." Julia M. Klein, The Washington Post
Review
"Benedict does a good job walking readers through Owsley at work...but there are too many times when the writer simply goes gaga over the pathologist's talent....[H]e would have emerged an even more awesome figure without the superhero garb." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"[P]rovide[s] fascinating insights into forensic anthropology as a vocation. Written for lay readers, this work is highly recommended..." Library Journal
Synopsis
When he's not at a notorious disaster, Doug Owsley is entering tombs and crypts, unwrapping mummies, or climbing into caves to unlock the secrets of bones.
In No Bone Unturned, investigative journalist Jeff Benedict not only unveils a compelling portrait of the man behind America's most notorious cases but also gives us a fascinating look inside the world of forensic science as seen through the eyes of a leading specialist.
Doug Owsley's extraordinary talent has put his phone number on speed dial for federal agencies, from the FBI to the CIA and the State Department. When the Branch Davidian compound in Waco caught fire, when a terrorist-flown plane crashed into the Pentagon, and when mass graves were uncovered in Croatia, the authorities called Owsley. Through cutting-edge science, instinctive artistry, and dogged tenacity, Owsley painstakingly rebuilds the skeleton, and helps identify it and determine the cause of death.
A curator for the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History, Doug Owsley has handled over ten thousand human skeletons, more than anyone else in America. He has worked with America's historic skeletons, from, colonial Jamestown burials to Plains Indians to Civil War soldiers to skeletons tens of thousands of years old.
That includes the Kennewick Man, a 9,600-year-old human skeleton found in shallow water along the banks of Washington State's Columbia River. It was a skeleton that would turn Owsley's life upside down.
Days before Owsley was scheduled to begin studying the skeleton, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers seized it and announced they would repatriate Kennewick Man, burying his bones on the land of the Native American tribes who claimed him. Along with seven of America's leading scientists, Owsley sued the U.S. government over custody. At stake was a wide body of knowledge about our past and our history that would be lost forever if the bones were reburied. For six years, Owsley fought a legal and political battle that put everything at risk, jeopardizing his career and his reputation.
Synopsis
"A fast and exciting read. . . . This survey of Owsley's career will appeal to both science and legal buffs." --Publishers Weekly
The story of the Smithsonian's brilliant forensic anthropologist and the 9,000-year-old skeleton that sparked his landmark lawsuit against the U.S. government
When he is not studying ancient skeletons, Doug Owsley is enlisted by the State Department and the FBI to identify remains. He has worked on some of the most notorious tragedies in recent history--Bosnia, Waco, 9/11 and Jeffrey Dahmer's victims among them. When an anthropologist in Kennewick, WA, calls Owsley to help study a 9,000 year-old caucasoid skeleton, he gets caught up in a battle against the Justice Department and Indian tribes who claim the skeleton is Native American and should be buried and not analyzed.
Owsley, backed by scientists worldwide, files suit against the government and is now at the forefront of a landmark case--currently pending a ruling in the U.S. District Court--that may alter repatriation laws and have a significant impact on the classic views of Native Americans, migration patterns, and anthropology, as well as our understanding of prehistory.
Synopsis
The author of Without Reservation investigates the world of the Smithsonian's top forensic scientist, Doug Owsley, who has worked with remains from ancient times to some of the most notorious cases today. 35 photos.
Synopsis
Includes bibliographical references (p. 283-290) and index.
About the Author
Jeff Benedict conducted the first national study on sexual assault and athletes. He has published three books on athletes and crime, including a blistering exposé on the NFL, Pros and Cons: The Criminals Who Play in the NFL, and Public Heroes, Private Felons: Athletes and Crimes Against Women. He is a lawyer and an investigative journalist who has written five books.
Table of Contents
Author's Note ix
Prologue 1
1 High-Stakes Playground 17
2 Opening Coffins 27
3 Bone Fragments 31
4 Going to Guatemala 35
5 Outsmarting the Devil 41
6 Into the Crypt 53
7 Building People 61
8 Remains of the Day 71
9 The Probe 75
10 Evil is Real 81
11 Unwrapping a Mummy 83
12 Somebody Else is Here 91
13 Humans Remain 95
14 Airfare for a Skeleton 103
15 Destination Unknown 109
16 Rush to Repatriate 115
17 We Know How Time Began 121
18 The Client 129
19 Senior Girl 135
20 Eight Men Out 145
21 About-Face 149
22 Where did You Get These Africans? 155
23 Turning the Lights on 159
24 Stand and Fight 169
25 Intent 175
26 Science Evolves 181
27 Virtual Reality 189
28 The Cover-up 197
29 Lie Detector 201
30 Skin Thickness 205
31 Objection 211
32 One Look 217
33 Going Deep 227
34 Spin Cycle 231
35 Show Time 239
36 White House Involvement 255
37 What You See Here Stays Here 263
38 In Demand 269
39 The Decision 275
Source Notes 283
Acknowledgments 291
Index 295