Mary Roach

The humor scientist behind Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers and Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife takes a tour of the human digestive system, explaining why the stomach doesn't digest itself and whether constipation can kill you.

Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal

Patrick Book

I really like how Mary Roach approaches her subjects, even if this book has made me exponentially more afraid of pooping.

Pratik M

Informative and hilarious. Not meant for the easily grossed-out. Roach approaches topics that you wouldn't otherwise discuss in polite company (burps, farts, poop, etc.) although they're as natural as our existence, not to mention, pivotal. 

PS. Don't miss her footnotes. Some of her best humor is hidden among those.

Sarah Sammis

Laura Mauler

When your favorite author comes out with a new book there can be a bit of anxiety: what if this book is not as good as the previous ones? Will this be the work that knocks the author off the pedestal where I have placed her? Such were my thoughts when I started this book, and I feel a little silly admitting it now that I have gone on the spectacular ride that is "Gulp." I mean, I laugh just seeing the word "fart", so how could I NOT find this book hilarious? I love nuggets of information about scientific weirdness, so how could I NOT find this book fascinating? I don't want to end on a rhetorical question so I'll end with my favorite quote from the book: "I don't know what the ultimate fate of a suppressed fart is."

Patrick Cartelli

Probably her funniest yet. The potential is there to be grossed out, but the curiosity she approaches the topic with is incredible. I did at points start to feel unsettled by some of the topics but my fascination kept me going. Gulp takes a taboo topic and makes it easy to sit down and talk to people about farts.

The humorous science writer offers a tour of the human digestive system, explaining why the stomach doesn't digest itself and whether constipation can kill you.

alina s

Mary Roach is one of the unfunniest people in the world and half of this book is her trying to be funny. this book would be so much better if someone told Roach that she sucks

Dana Kraft

This book started strong but really dragged after the first quarter or so. I liked the parts about taste, especially related to pets and I can always read more Elvis anecdotes. I knew I was tired of this when I stopped chuckling at the fart jokes.

Cindy Lieberman

If you are curious by nature, you'll enjoy this journey. Roach explores questions of smell, taste, mastication, rumination, evacuation and the rest of our digestion-related processes (and orifices) with her customary sense of humor.

Nadine 

More than I ever thought I’d need to know or was possible to know about the alimentary cannel can everything inside outside and around side. 
Part of the YA audio sync of 2019 - I’m not sure how many teens would hear this out in all its detail ...

Kerry Gibbons

Yet another Mary Roach book that I would recommend you put down during lunch. She has a particular talent for making even the most mundane topics overwhelmingly interesting (and gross).

Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal

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