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Body: A Guide for Occupants
Body: A Guide for Occupants | Bill Bryson
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERNAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE WASHINGTON POST LONGLISTED FOR THE PEN E.O. WILSON LITERARY SCIENCE WRITING AWARD"Glorious. . .You will marvel at the brilliance and vast weirdness of your design." --The Washington Post Bill Bryson, bestselling author of A Short History of Nearly Everything, takes us on a head-to-toe tour of the marvel that is the human body. As addictive as it is comprehensive, this is Bryson at his very best, a must-read owner's manual for everybody. Bill Bryson once again proves himself to be an incomparable companion as he guides us through the human body--how it functions, its remarkable ability to heal itself, and (unfortunately) the ways it can fail. Full of extraordinary facts (your body made a million red blood cells since you started reading this) and irresistible Bryson-esque anecdotes, The Body will lead you to a deeper understanding of the miracle that is life in general and you in particular. As Bill Bryson writes, "We pass our existence within this wobble of flesh and yet take it almost entirely for granted." The Body will cure that indifference with generous doses of wondrous, compulsively readable facts and information.
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MilesnMelodies
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Scored a singed first edition!

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Coleen
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Pickpick

Have you ever really stopped to think about how absolutely amazing and miraculous the human body is, from the microscopic and molecular, all the way to the fully functioning sum of all its parts? It truly is mind boggling. This reminded me a lot of some of Mary Roach‘s books, which I also enjoy. Lots of interesting facts and statistics. But kind of depressing how poor the U.S. ranks compared to other nations in a variety of areas.

Texreader Great review. 4mo
24 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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GingerAntics
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Bailedbailed

DNF
I‘ve read three books trying to avoid this book. It‘s just not happening. It‘s not me, it‘s you. This just did not live up to the hype. I‘ll probably be passing on future Bill Bryson books. I just don‘t get his popularity. He‘s just not my cup of tea. My A&P book was way more exciting to read, honestly.
#BillBryson #TheBody #Audiobook #busbook #DNF #boring #fatphobia #nonsense #snore

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GingerAntics
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A croc eats 2-5 pounds of meat a DAY. That‘s 1302-3255 calories a DAY that a croc eats. So according to Bill, humans MUST (he said must) eat 39,060-97,650 calories a day. Either he‘s got his science wrong here, he‘s got his science wrong about the dieting, or he‘s got his science wrong all the way around. I want to see some sources.
#BillBryson #TheBody #audiobook #busbook #science #pseudoscience #questionable

GingerAntics @ImperfectCJ this is even worse. I don‘t think this is right. I think this would kill the average human. 1y
ImperfectCJ @GingerAntics You're going to want to read that quote again. It doesn't say what you think it says. 1y
CBee He just means that a human should eat in a day what a crocodile eats in a whole month 😊 1y
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GingerAntics @CBee which is 2-5 pounds of meat. 1y
GingerAntics @ImperfectCJ what do you think it says? It says that each day we need to eat as much as a crocodile eats in 30 days. That‘s what it says. Clear as day. 1y
ImperfectCJ @GingerAntics This means that a crocodile eats only one day a month. It doesn't eat the other 29 (or 27 or 30, depending on how you count a month). Humans eat every day of the month the same amount that a crocodile eats on that one day out of the month. 1y
ImperfectCJ The calorie intake you've calculated for a crocodile is per month, not per day. Reptiles eat much less frequently than mammals. 1y
GingerAntics @ImperfectCJ that is incorrect. Crocs eat every 3-5 days. However, a different source stated that a 100kg croc eats 700g of food each WEEK, and that a 100kg/220lb human needs to eat that amount DAILY. If you consider that crocs eat only meat, that‘s going to factor to about 2016 calories a day for a 220 pound human. 1y
GingerAntics @ImperfectCJ That IS actually closer to the amount a grown adult needs to eat, and it washes when you consider this is the minimum for the human body to function healthily. Once you add activity, climate, etc, you‘re going to have to add more. 1y
GingerAntics @ImperfectCJ I am fully aware of this. I took the fact I found “A crocodile eats on average 2-5 pounds of meat per day, or roughly 5% of its body weight per week.” I figured out how many calories that would be. 1302-3255 calories. Since that is the average a croc eats “per day” I multiplied by 30 since Bryson is claiming we need to eat in a day what a croc eats in a month. 39,060-97,650. According to Bryson, this is what we should eat a day. 1y
11 likes10 comments
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GingerAntics
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This means, that according to Bill here:
A 100lb person must eat 7,000 calories a day
A 150lb person must eat 10,500 calories a day
A 200lb person must eat 14,000 calories a day
A 300lb person must eat 21,000 calories a day
Granted, these are just to maintain weight. So NO ONE should be eating the 1200 calories a day often recommended (probably because that is the nutritional necessity of a TODDLER! ⬅️ read that again).

GingerAntics So what diet is he suggesting we should all be on, because there isn‘t a single diet in the world that suggests even enough calories for a 100 pound adult. #BillBryson #TheBody #audiobook #busbook #fatphobia #dietculture #totalcrap 1y
ImperfectCJ There has to be a calculation error with those calories, unless they're a joke. I don't think I'm physically capable of eating even 7,000 calories a day, and I do weigh more than 100 pounds. 1y
GingerAntics @ImperfectCJ it‘s possible. What I did was calculate 2% of each weight, then converted that number of pounds to calories. That‘s what he said we were supposed to eat in a day to maintain our energy. It gets even more scary when you do the math on his crocodile claim. 1y
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ImperfectCJ @GingerAntics But a pound of butter has more calories than a pound of kale. It's not a direct conversion. 1y
GingerAntics @ImperfectCJ that is true, this is just the number of calories in a pound of human. How you choose to distribute your calories will depends on how many pounds of food that is. 1y
GingerAntics @ImperfectCJ that‘s where I‘m far more confident in the croc numbers. Crocs is 2-5 pounds of meat a day. It‘s easy to figure out how many calories are in a pound of meat on average… but those numbers are even bigger than these. 1y
ImperfectCJ @GingerAntics crocodiles eat once a month, though, right? 1y
GingerAntics @ImperfectCJ when food is available, they eat every 3-10 days. And they average 2-5 pounds of meat a day, or 5% of their body weight per week. 1y
ImperfectCJ @GingerAntics Please just check your units (weeks, days, pounds, calories) and think it through again. I'm not even saying that Bryson is correct (that's a separate issue), just that the calculations you're using are inaccurate. 1y
GingerAntics @ImperfectCJ the calculations I am using are based entirely on easily findable, verifiable information and Bryson‘s own words. Which takes me back to my point, within the span of 30 seconds he‘s on a diatribe about eating less and then goes into just how much we actually do need to eat. 1y
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GingerAntics
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And even people who do lose weight, about 95% will gain back AT LEAST AS MUCH AS THEY LOST. The body is not designed to lose weight. Notice that bigger bodies in societies that do NOT diet magically have none of the health problems bigger bodies in societies that diet do. Hm. It‘s almost as if the bigger bodies aren‘t the problem.

GingerAntics IF 95% OF PEOPLE WHO TOOK AN ANTIBIOTIC GOT EVEN SICKER AFTER COMPLETING TREATMENT, WOULD YOU STILL TAKE THAT ANTIBIOTIC? 1y
GingerAntics If someone “cured” cancer, hut 95% of the people who got this miracle treatment got cancer again and died before being able to get the treatment again, would it really be a cure? 1y
GingerAntics If a medication didn‘t work for 95% of people afflicted with an illness, would it even be a treatment? (Placebos work for at least 33% of cases… so it works worse than a sugar pill. Just think of that.) 1y
GingerAntics @ImperfectCJ both of the posts you have commented on, were in direct response to THIS post which officially has more verifiable nutrition science than Bryson‘s book. 1y
9 likes5 comments
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GingerAntics
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Does this mean that my propensity to sweat a lot means I‘m extra brainy or just that I think too much? Or does it not work that direction at all?
#BillBryson #TheBody #audiobook #busbook

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GingerAntics
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Greatly enjoying this one so far!
#BillBryson #TheBody #audiobook #busbook

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Cupcake12
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Pickpick

Had to read this for my Health Science course. I‘m not a fan of non-fiction but this was entertaining and fully understandable. It details how the body functions and discusses how it has an amazing ability to heal itself too. So many fascinating facts, stories from around the world and now a new found respect for our existence.

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TheRiehlDeal
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Pickpick

This should be required reading for biology classes instead of a textbook! This was chock full of interesting things about the human body. He also gives brief backgrounds on people who have contributed greatly to the science and medical fields. I‘m so glad I listened to the audiobook; Bryson was a delight to listen to.

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Cupcake12
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A bit of light afternoon reading!
This chunkster arrived yesterday, have to read it as part of my health science degree. Wish me luck!

DebbieGrillo I think it will be enjoyable. Bryon is a great writer. Good luck. 2y
Tineke Ooohh... reading a book for your degree that is actually enjoyable. Nice! 2y
36 likes2 comments
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Arvena
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Pickpick

Interesting, informative, amusing and terrifying 😊 There is a bit too much repetition, still I really enjoyed this book.

AnnR Glad to know you like the writing, despite the repetition. 🙂
I've literary had this sitting on my bookshelf since it was first published and haven't read it yet. I think the pandemic put me off from reading many health related books. Maybe I'll eventually get in the mood to read it.
2y
42 likes1 comment
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Nikki_E

I‘m setting records today. Bailed on Bill Bryson‘s The Body and The Cruelty is the Point by Adam Serwar.

The Body was just dull. I never say that about Bill Bryson, but I tried listening to it on audiobook and I just could not engage. I felt like it was jumping all over the place. The send book was a collection of essays about the Trump administration. I just couldn‘t. Four years was more than enough.

BethM Life is too short to finish books you‘re not into. 3y
Nikki_E @BethM exactly. 3y
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coffees
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Pickpick

Got my first goal for #nutsinmay out of the way!! Finished this book and I'm happy to note that it was interesting all the way through. At moments my interest did wane a bit but I could just as easily read 100 pages in one go! Comprehensive but also surface, perfect for anyone not really versed on how their body functions #science #nonfiction #biology

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm I will read anything Bill Bryson puts out! 😍 4y
coffees @MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm I def plan to read more of his stuff!! 4y
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coffees
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Ok last blurb for this book! I'm curious to see what my mom will think about it after reading it since she actually reads a lot of nutritional content and a lot of the information here is basic and moreso historical, a lot of what I've read is stuff I remember from HS bio with maybe some extra history vs technical #science #nonfiction #nutsinmay

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coffees
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Idk man, that COVID vaccine really got me feeling terrible the day after 😂😂🤨 #nonfiction #science Almost done with this one!! Took me longer than I wanted but I also haven't been reading as much as I'd like #nutsinmay #readathon

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coffees
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Oh my 😆😆😆 #nonfiction #science #biology

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coffees
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11 likes1 stack add
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coffees
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Ok but my only thought is FMA's Elric brothers 🥺🥺

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wendyh
Pickpick

This is so great. Might be my favorite that I‘ve had the pleasure of reading this year. A book for everyone interested in science and the body!

4 likes1 stack add
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reema
Mehso-so

It was okay. A bit dry at times, interesting at times, and not completely accurate at others. I don‘t know if I‘d recommend it exactly. There are better science books out there.

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alvingregorio
Panpan

It was interesting enough for me to finish. It was like a more entertaining version of a textbook. Informative, but not a must read.

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SW-T
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Pickpick

Informative and interesting look at the body and it‘s functions from head to toe.

36 likes1 stack add
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thebluestocking
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#3books I plan to read this month.

One for book club, one on audio, and one because I love a new Backman!

OriginalCyn620 Nice! 👌🏻 4y
BarbaraBB The Body looks intriguing! 4y
thebluestocking @BarbaraBB It‘s really good so far. Very informative AND interesting to read. 💙 4y
BarbaraBB Is seems so unlike Bryson but I will check it out! 4y
49 likes5 comments
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kaykay521
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Pickpick

It‘s taken me a couple weeks to get through this, but it was absolutely worth it. I tend to read a lot of nonfiction and done wrong it‘s dry, boring, droll and a pain to read. Not so here, even though Mr. Bryson packs a ton of info into this book I still found it engaging. Any fans of nonfiction, human anatomy, science or Bill Bryson should pick this up

26 likes1 stack add
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GoneFishing

Just sitting quietly, doing nothing at all, your brain churns through more information in thirty seconds than the Hubble Space Telescope has processed in thirty years. A morsel of cortex one cubic millimeter in size—about the size of a grain of sand—could hold two thousand terabytes of information, enough to store all the movies ever made, trailers included, or about 1.2 billion copies of this book.

Bklover Wow. Incredible! 4y
GoneFishing @Bklover speaking of our incredible brains, you may be interested in checking out some of the memorization feats in Moonwalking with Einstein. 4y
Bklover I‘ll check it out. Thanks! 4y
35 likes3 comments
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AnneFindsJoy
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Pickpick

#nonfiction2020 #health Bill Bryson is a natural storyteller, so this was interesting and enjoyable . Author finds just the right balance of medical knowledge vs anecdotal highlights that keeps the book fresh all the way through.

jb72 I‘ve read one of his books and really enjoyed it. 5y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa Great job, and yes his NF‘s are usually enjoyable. 5y
Cinfhen I‘ve only read one by Bryson but I could tell how gifted a writer he is- he makes the material so readable 😍 5y
38 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Bookworm_97
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Pickpick

These kind of Science books are the ones which should be available in every schools.

Loved It ❤

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Bookworm_97
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What a perfect time to read this book 😅😅😅🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯 #Bill_Bryson

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cariashley
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Pickpick

So good and readable! I listened to it as an audiobook and Bryson‘s narration is excellent. It was just the kind of witty, informative entertainment I need right now. Although the parts about the flu were jarring and all too real now.

Cortg I just put the audiobook on hold, sounds like a good listen right now! 5y
47 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Jen2
Pickpick

So good!

51 likes1 stack add
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melissajayne
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Pickpick

5⭐️ I really enjoyed this book. Much like his book, At Home, Bill Bryson describes how uniquely our bodies are constructed. I found that the chapter on diseases was particularly appropriate, especially since we are going through a pandemic right now. Excellent read. #ebook #nonfiction #2020

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melissajayne
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And here we are in the midst of another outbreak..... #COVID19

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AvidReader25
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Pickpick

Bryson can take any subject and make it interesting. His dry sense of humor is on every page as he walks us through the way the human body works. From diseases that have been eradicated to horrific old medical practices, we learn both the history and the abilities of our bodies.

“Just sitting quietly, doing nothing at all, your brain churns through more information in thirty seconds than the Hubble Space Telescope has processed in thirty years.”

25 likes1 stack add
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Megabooks
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Bailedbailed

Bailing after a very painful 18%.
1. This man RAMBLES!
2. I don‘t like his organization of the book.
3. Despite the many interesting differences between humans and animals, there was still a lot of overlap with vet school.
In fairness, this is the third Bryson I‘ve bailed on, so I‘m probably not going to try any more.

ljuliel Not everybody likes every author. I‘ve liked all of his books and like the rambling. I guess because I‘m quite a talker myself, I enjoy listening to him go on and on about little tidbits of information. This one will need to be listened to in small pieces, though, only because there‘s so many minute details it might become mind- numbing if I tried listening to it continually. Hope you find something else you like better. 5y
BarbaraBB Kudos for giving him three chances! Great review again! 5y
Megabooks @ljuliel I definitely agree with you about the small doses - I‘ve read this 18% over three days! I‘m glad you like him. I don‘t think he‘s a bad author, just not right for me. 5y
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Megabooks @BarbaraBB Thanks! I can see why a lot of people like his writing, but it‘s just not for me. 5y
Soubhiville I bailed on the last thing I tried to read by him. Not for me either. 5y
KarenUK I tried one of his books once and never again! Found him smug and kind of a bigot! 5y
Megabooks @Soubhiville Some authors just aren‘t good matches with us. 5y
Megabooks @KarenUK his smugness was one of the reasons I bailed on his book about the Appalachian trail. This book was more fact-based than his travel books, but it was the rambling that got me this time. When I was a doctor, I prided myself on being thorough but efficient, so I guess it‘s especially painful when I read a medical book that doesn‘t fit that. 5y
ElaineR Oh doesn't bode well. Been looking forward to this but was hoping it was "less Bryson" than normal lol 5y
Megabooks @ElaineR There is less of him being in the story himself than the other two I read. He definitely covers a lot of interesting things about the body. My complaint is the rambling and it not being organized how I would do it. 5y
jillrhudy Personally, I loved it. I learned a lot—by looking up the topics he brought up and reading more about them, and by reading the end notes. Of course I‘m neither a medical person nor much of a nonfiction fan. 5y
Megabooks @jillrhudy That‘s great! I love when pop sci books make people interested in science. Since I did Veterinary school and all the science prerequisites, I usually listen to more specialized books like the one I‘m going to tag. I think this just wasn‘t the right book for me. 5y
Reviewsbylola People rave and rave about Bryson. I personally don‘t get the appeal, but I did love 5y
Megabooks @Reviewsbylola interesting. I‘ve tried him three times and not liked any, so I think I‘m giving up for awhile. I just don‘t think he‘s compatible with what I want to read. 5y
99 likes14 comments
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nikirtehsuxlol
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People are dying for me to finish this book so I stop spouting random facts (like guys have erections for about 2 hours a night and melatonin is the only hormone you can buy without a prescription in the US).

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Nitpickyabouttrains
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Pickpick

A deep look into the body and how it functions. Great science communication. Accessible and interesting.

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Addison_Reads
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Pickpick

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from cover to cover. Who would have thought a book covering various aspects of the human body would make me laugh while reading it, but Bryson has a way of dropping in witty comments amongst his well-researched facts.

If students had this in biology instead of a textbook they would probably be more interested in learning. ☺

ljuliel It is very good ! I‘m listening to mine in bits and pieces between other books. I turned it off the other night. We were eating supper while listening to it , when he told how many different “ things” were present in your belly button. Yuk. Not what I want to hear while eating ! I‘ll be stretching this one out. 😊 5y
Addison_Reads @ljuliel I read that part to my husband and nephew when I got to it. It was too gross not to share. 😁 5y
ljuliel 😂 5y
35 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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nikirtehsuxlol
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“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.” Well I just ate a jalapeño bagel and iced coffee, listening to a MLM pitch happening behind me. Run, girl. Save yourself.

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Becker
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Pickpick

This is a typical Bill Bryson. If you have the patience and the interest to read a book full of facts then you are sure to like this. Each chapter focuses on a different section or system of the body and Bryson gives you more factual and fun facts than you will ever remember. It was a really interesting read and I would definitely recommend it to people who enjoy this type of thing. 💟

23 likes1 stack add
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nikirtehsuxlol
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If you loved A short History of Nearly Everything, you‘re going to love this one too. Every chapter, Im like WOAHHH THATS SO COOOL. See also, my old scroungy kitty 😭😭😭

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rabbitprincess
Pickpick

A good overview of what all is in your body, written lightly and with humour.

18 likes1 stack add
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rabbitprincess

"Taste receptors have also been found in the heart, the lungs, and even the testicles. [?] No one knows quite what they are doing there. They also send signals to the pancreas to adjust insulin output, and it may be connected to that."

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rabbitprincess
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An American doctor with the "luxuriant name" of Chevalier Quixote Jackson has been called "the father of American broncoesophagoscopy". Bryson says "he was most assuredly that, though it must also be said there were not a lot of other contenders."

Cathythoughts 👍🏻😁 I got this for my son for Christmas.... looks good 5y
rabbitprincess @Cathythoughts It is! I started it yesterday and stayed up past midnight reading as much as I could. Hoping to finish it today. 5y
22 likes2 comments
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rabbitprincess
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"We never see the world as it is at this very instant, but rather as it will be a fraction of a moment in the future. We spend our whole lives, in other words, living in a world that doesn't quite exist yet."

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Cathythoughts
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#MOvember #Celebration we celebrate together on Christmas Eve & I give everyone a book ... so these are my choices so far ( I must get one for the small girl yet) ... I‘ve read them & so can vouch for them all ✨except the tagged book... I hear it‘s good though 🤞🏻❤️

Cinfhen I would love to get a stack like that!!!! 5y
Cinfhen Well done ♥️ 5y
Freespirit That's a lovely tradition. I know they give a book on Christmas Eve in Iceland. You've chosen great books!! 5y
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erzascarletbookgasm That‘s a great stack and what a lovely idea! 5y
Cathythoughts @cinfhen 👍🏻❤️ 5y
Cathythoughts @Freespirit I make a Christmas dinner in my house on Christmas Eve... so we exchange some gifts then .... 👍🏻❤️ 5y
Cathythoughts @erzascarletbookgasm thanks Jessie 👍🏻❤️ 5y
TrishB Lovely idea ❤️ 5y
Cathythoughts @TrishB 👍🏻❤️ 5y
batsy Lovely, cosy photo... And books always make wonderful gifts 💕 5y
JennyM You have me feeling very festive with that photo! Great selection! 5y
squirrelbrain Lovely picture! And great books too.... ❤️😘 5y
Caroline2 Lovely stack there!! 😯 5y
Cathythoughts @JennyM thanks Jenny ! Getting in the mood 👍🏻❤️ 5y
Cathythoughts @batsy thanks ! They do make lovely presents 👍🏻❤️ 5y
Cathythoughts @squirrelbrain @Caroline2 thanks guys 👍🏻❤️❤️❤️ 5y
merelybookish Yes! I love buying books for my loved ones! 5y
LeahBergen I love giving books, too! 5y
youneverarrived I ❤️ this! 5y
readordierachel Wonderful tradition ❤ 5y
71 likes2 stack adds20 comments
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Minimalgrl
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Well .... I just can‘t... the audiobook is not for me ... it‘s read by Bryson himself and he is just not a compelling narrator. It‘s just putting me right to sleep 😴

Sace Cats on laps have a sedative affect as well 😂 5y
nikirtehsuxlol I‘ve listened to another audiobook by him, and I knew to pick up the regular book and not bother with the audio version of The Body! 5y
37 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Minimalgrl
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Done with Lethal White .... and now moving on to some non fiction with Bill Bryson 🤓📚

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