Enter the wonderful world of Bill Bryson who has a master's touch for explaining things in a way that we all understand and are fascinated by. When he takes apart our body, system by system, piece by piece we not only understand more about our inner workings but we have been thoroughly entertained along the way. He is the master of anecdote, the king of clever tidbits of knowledge and his easygoing writing style gives you a greater appreciation for the intricate machine we call our body. Here's to not-stuffy science! My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

This is a very informative and in-depth look at what the heck are bodies are/do. It explores disease and really cool capabilities and phenomena, in addition to just your regular functions. It’s not exactly bryson-humorous, but it does have a bit lighter tone for a science book. With bryson’s established quality/brand, this should be an easy handsell.

This was, as always, a humorous, clever look at the human body. It’s easy to read and gave me much to ponder. I learned a great deal and can’t wait to recommend it.

Much like his previous book, "A Short History of Nearly Everything", "The Body" offers a brief and entertaining tour to the human body. If you are an avid science reader, a lot of the information provided here are probably not new to you and some can seem a little too superficial. Still, I think this book would be a great starter for anyone who's curious about the human anatomy and biology. (Aliens out there, take note!)

I've read most all of Bill Bryson's books and often find them fun, informative and interesting. This one can definitely be added to that list. He found a way of discussing human biology in such a way that held my interest mostly because it didn't read like a textbook. I think that's saying something. I highly recommend this book. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance readers copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. You might look at the title and think this will be a dry non fiction study. It's not. The way the author puts in little anecdotes, brief stories about some physicians who discovered certain things, etc, and the way our various systems affect us almost reads like fiction. I truly came away from this book respecting my body more, being more aware of how I treat it, and with a new admiration. I will only warn that if you are a Biblical literalist, you might find the evolution mentions a bit daunting. I would still not let that keep me from reading this...the material is just so good.

I loved this title. As a former elementary science teacher, the geek in me absorbed new and interesting facts like a sponge. I'm recommending it to my secondary teacher friends as well as anyone who just wants to know more. The details were generous, but not overwhelming. The readability was surprising for such an in-depth topic. I highly recommend!

If you enjoyed his "Short History of Nearly Everything", you'll probably enjoy Bryson's look inward to the human body. It's informative both scientifically and historically and very engaging.

I've always loved Bill Bryson, ever since finding a copy of his "A Short History of Nearly Everything" on the book shelf at my Aunt Kim's house. I spent a long week one summer by the pool not getting cool and splashing, but getting tanned and sweaty because I couldn't put the damn thing down. "The Body" reminded me the most of that aforementioned tome of all of Bryson's works except maybe "One Summer" (unrelated to my pool-side adventures). It was full of Bill's wit and humor without distorting the facts, some of which were more than a little disturbing. I'm not talking about gross body stuff; I'm fine with gross body stuff. But did you know that an equal volume of Heinz ketchup has more sugar than Coke? I didn't know that and I didn't want to know that.

This book doesn't go too in-depth into one particular area of anatomy as the title might suggest, but nor does it skimp on the details. Much like "A Short History," this is a wonderful and easy-to-read overview of the human body with all it's weird quirks and mysteries and frankly bad ideas. It's almost like "A Short History of Human Anatomy," and I enjoyed it. The only thing it was missing was a little bit of that characteristic Bryson humor and charm. It's understandable that that might go by the wayside in such a fact-rich text, but I did long for it a little more. That said, it definitely didn't diminish the readability or overall pace of the book.

And I don't think I'll ever eat ketchup again.

I have been living in this body for 60 + years but it wasn't until I read this book did I learn about how many of it's system function and what doctors and scientists already know. Easy to read, entertaining, all the while being scientific make this a great informative book.

Did you ever wonder how many times a day you blink? Or who invented the calorie and why we are so obsessed with counting them? These answers and a multitude of others can be found in THE BODY, a wonderfully wry book of facts and stories about, well, the body we occupy. Each chapter is devoted to one of the body’s systems (the gut, the nervous system, as well as sleep and the function of glands, etc) so as to build upon the last chapter’s information. Here’s an interesting factoid from the food chapter: fruits have been genetically manipulated to be sweeter than they were hundreds of years ago. The author purports that apples in Shakespeare’s day were no sweeter than today’s carrots.
I’m trying to decide whether Bryson’s droll wit or the abundance of information about our body is the best part of the book. You will end up learning things without even trying – there isn’t any deep scientific talk so you don’t need a degree in biology to easily read this book.
There isn’t a plot so much as a description of the body part, its function, and then facts and history about it. For example, in the chapter entitled “Gut” we learn how our digestive system works, then we learn about E. coli and other dangerous microbes, there is a bit about food safety, and then it’s 1822 and we are reading about an unfortunate accident that left a hole in a fur trapper’s stomach. This fur trapper eventually became something of a living experiment due to the injury (Google “Beaumont and St Martin” for more details if you wish).
This was an illuminating and droll read – one of the better books I have read this summer. Run, don’t walk to get your copy! You will be thoroughly enlightened and entertained, and even a bit grossed out - in a good way.

Bill Bryson is a genius! You will be having so much fun reading that you won't even realize you are learning from his creative and memorable look at the human body.

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This will rightfully be billed as a "Short History of Nearly Everything" for the human body. A really engaging romp through the science and history of the human body. It didn't quite rise to 5-star material, as brief moments read like mere recitations of facts, and it didn't have the chuckles I normally expect from a Bill Bryson book. Even so, very good and highly recommended.

The Body is one of the best science books I’ve read. The pages are brimming with facts and figures about every part of the human body and it’s all fascinating. It’s impossible not to be floored by the complexities of our own bodies after reading this book.

Bryson’s writing style is completely relatable. You’ll find yourself laughing at the many anecdotes and strange histories behind what makes us tick. It serves as a surprising reminder that our understanding of the human body is relatively new in relation to our history. So many of the things we take for granted were only discovered in the last 150 years or so. We’re at a zenith of understanding and that makes this exciting to read.

Above all, you’ll come away with endless facts to recite to anyone who will listen. It’s all here, from the intense caloric intake of a baby’s brain to the cost of creating a human being based on the current market rate for essential elements and chemicals. You’ll get a better understanding of skin color and how ridiculous our societal perceptions are when viewed from a biological standpoint. You’ll learn about diseases and how our perception of them has evolved over time. You’ll also find yourself laughing at the sheer luck of so many scientists as they accidentally discovered fundamental truths about the human body. The fact that the majority of these major breakthroughs seem to have been complete accidents makes our knowledge all the more miraculous.

If you’re curious about everything going on in your own personal ecosystem, The Body is the book for you. Expect yourself to go on many a Google trail as you try to wrap your head around the many strange and compelling details.

I loved this newest book by Bill Bryson. Once again, he takes a topic and makes it an utterly fascinating adventure, this time through the human body. I can't wait to amaze my friends with my new knowledge :) In true, Bryson form the read is humorous, full of fascinating information, and told in a way that is so intriguing to read.