Bone is as embedded in our culture as it is in our bodies. Our species has made instruments and jewelry from bone, treated the dead like collectors' items, put our faith in skull bumps as guides to human behavior, and arranged skeletons into macabre tributes to the afterlife. Switek makes a compelling case for getting better acquainted with our skeletons, in all their surprising roles. Bridging the worlds of paleontology, anthropology, medicine, and forensics, Skeleton Keys illuminates the complex life of bones inside our bodies and out.

Cut to the bone -- Flesh out -- Bones to pick -- A bag of bones -- Bone shaking -- Sticks and stones -- The nearer the bone, the sweeter the meat -- Bad to the bone -- Bones of contention -- Skeletons in the closet -- Bone deep.