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| Source: maryroach.net |
Mary Roach has been lauded by various types of readers in my life: the book lovers, the science teacher co-workers, the nonfiction readers, the casual readers, etc. Stiff was the original title that struck me...I mean, really, a book about the wonders of cadavers?! But, at the moment, I needed a convenient-to-carry book on my Kindle app and Gulp looked like the most interesting Roach book I had available. (I'm sure you'll be seeing Stiff on here soon enough.)
Gulp is about the alimentary canal, better known as the digestive system. From mouth to...errr...anus (rectum, butthole, poopshoot? Is there a good word to use for the bottom end?), Roach describes the workings of the entire system. Each organ involved is discussed and the medical views and discoveries over centuries laid out for examination.
And truly, there's a whole lot of examination. Roach takes part in various experiments and examinations, even getting an unsedated colonoscopy to see the inner workings of her own organs. The woman is either brave or crazy.
Truly, I never thought I'd want to read a book about the digestive system, but this one was interesting. I often found myself laughing, which prompted my husband or one of my kids to ask what I was laughing at. I'd start describing it, only to look up into widened eyes because the last thing they expected was an explanation of the workings of the...ummm...bottom end. And wouldn't you know, in the process of reading Gulp, I was able to answer three different Trivia Crack questions about the stomach and colon that I'd learned! That alone made it worth it!
Your favorite Mary Roach book? If you don't have one, you need to read more Mary Roach!
