Mary Roach

Mary Roach was born on March 20, 1959, in Etna, New Hampshire. She pursued higher education at Wesleyan University, graduating in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Following her graduation, Roach relocated to San Francisco, California, where she began her professional journey as a freelance copy editor. Her career in writing commenced with the public affairs office of the San Francisco Zoological Society, where she crafted press releases on various subjects, including animal medical procedures. During her time off from the San Francisco Zoological Society, she contributed freelance articles to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Sunday magazine, Image.

Roach transitioned into book writing, publishing her first New York Times bestseller, “Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers,” in 2003. This marked a significant turning point in her career, establishing her distinctive voice in popular science writing. She has since authored seven New York Times bestsellers, consistently blending scientific inquiry with a humorous and approachable narrative style. Her works cover a diverse range of subjects, from the afterlife and human sexuality to space exploration and the human digestive system, demonstrating her broad intellectual curiosity.

Throughout her career, Roach has contributed essays and feature articles to various prominent publications, including Vogue, GQ, The New York Times Magazine, Discover Magazine, National Geographic, Outside Magazine, and Wired. She also wrote columns for Salon.com, In Health, Reader’s Digest, and Sports Illustrated for Women. Her extensive bibliography and regular appearances on television and radio programs, such as The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, have solidified her reputation as a leading voice in popular science.