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The Body

A Guide for Occupants

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The Body

Written by: Bill Bryson
Narrated by: Bill Bryson
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About this listen

An instant New York Times best seller

Named 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, best-selling 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-listen 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 listenable facts and information.

©2019 Bill Bryson (P)2019 Random House Audio Biological Sciences Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Science Health Medicine Physical Exercise Nutrition Body Systems

What the critics say

"Bill Bryson is not so much a discoverer of new lands as a charismatic cartographer of existing ones, smartly mapping points of entry into territory that might otherwise remain impenetrable to curious travelers. With light footed prose, The Body winds its way through the dense terrain of anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry....The result is an absorbing catalog of the human body in all its firmness and fatality....The colossal roster of facts on display is dazzling.... Bryson's distinctive voice will likely delight readers eager to go sightseeing around the world they embody." (The American Scholar)

"A delightful tour guide...Bryson's stroll through human anatomy, physiology, evolution, and illness (diabetes, cancer, infections) is instructive, accessible, and entertaining." (Booklist starred review)

Amusingly informative." (Forbes)
All stars
Most relevant
I've listened to the audio book many times and find that I pick up something new every time.

Very informative

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Just when you thought you knew quite a bit about your body, Bryson makes more interesting.

Worth it.

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fascinating, well researched and chock-full of information but delivered in a simply riveting way. captures the reader/ listener

slightly hard to hear (esp on car with other noises).
I turned down the bass and that helped a lot.

content and excellent delivery

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This was the perfect educational book for a layman. Very entertaining all throughout and interesting facts I've never heard of

Educational and entertaining

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Like most Bryson titles, this offers an entertaining review of the basics. What it lacks in depth and critical appraisal, it (mostly) makes ups for with writing style.

Entertaining review of basics

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This is a great one. Filled with stories and interesting facts. Could have been more comprehensive but that’s hard to ask from a pop sci book. Also made me scared of some viruses and diseases and could have done without that.

Hard to make a more interesting book about the body

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An excellent study of the history of the human body broken up into thematic sections. He does an excellent job of exploring the limitations of what we know, as well as how much there is still to do in medicine (his section on how the female body has been represented in medicine is excellent). His performance is pure Bryson, and I learned so much. Highly recommended.

Bryson Takes on the Human Body

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It is obviously the amount of work and research that goes into Bills science books. Love them both and great reads for simpletons like me.

Keep up the good work Bill

Love Bill Bryson’s work...

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Very much enjoyed the book. Learned a lot about the body and the part about viruses and diseases was very informative, especially in this time.

Great book. An education.

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A journey of facts and insights like only Bill Bryson can do. Understanding details about every part of the body in the context of history, science, and the stories behind them. Lots of fun. Start and stop where you want in the book. The book is only 14 hours, but I've had 100's of hours of enjoyment and many more to come!

All the Facts with Fun Perspective & Context

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