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The Body

A Guide for Occupants

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The Body

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

'We spend our whole lives in one body and yet most of us have practically no idea how it works and what goes on inside it. The idea of the book is simply to try to understand the extraordinary contraption that is us.’

In the best-selling, prize-winning A Short History of Nearly Everything Bill Bryson achieved the seemingly impossible by making the science of our world both understandable and entertaining to millions of people around the globe.

Now he turns his attention inwards to explore the human body, how it functions and its remarkable ability to heal itself. Full of extraordinary facts and astonishing stories, The Body: A Guide for Occupants is a brilliant, often very funny attempt to understand the miracle of our physical and neurological makeup.

©2019 Bill Bryson (P)2019 Audible, Ltd Biological Sciences Biology Science Thought-Provoking Funny Inspiring Nutrition Medicine

Editorial reviews

“Between the mysterious, the unexpected, the unknown and the undiscovered The Body: A Guide for Occupants takes us through all the weird and wonderful parts of the human body with humour, historical anecdotes and some truly jaw-dropping facts. Somehow, with all that jam packed in, listening to it still feels like an entertaining coffee with an old friend. I have loved many of Bill Bryson’s books but I think this one may have just jostled its way to the top of my list of favourites. Definitely take a listen if you’ve ever wondered why or how your body does what it does, or, if not, take a listen for the multitude of amazing facts you can pull out at your next awkward dinner party.” (Alex, Audible Editor)

“In this illuminating history of the human form, Bill Bryson presents scientific research in an accessible way, introducing a host of individuals including the world’s first kidney transplant recipient and the Nobel Prize-winning Peter Medawar. Covering everything from sleep to immunity, I came away from listening to the audiobook with a newfound appreciation and respect for my body. A perfect listen for new and existing Bill Bryson fans alike.” (Jess, Audible Editor)
All stars
Most relevant
Many interesting stories and facts about the body. Many of which I had heard before which is why I rated this 4 stars, however I can see this as an interesting read for someone who does not have a scientific background.

Interesting guide to the body

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Beautiful delivery as Bryson always does, his particular method of providing facts through stories is so engaging and accidentally educative.

Quintessential Bryson

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Packed with interesting and well researched information, seasoned with fun facts or stories and narrated by Bill Bryson himself in his recognisable soothing voice.

Fantastic book

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Captivating (especially his voice!) and fascinatinG read. Everything is portrayed in a way that simply explains and powerfully informs!

Fascinating!

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An audiobook that was really informative, interesting and well read. Some interesting random facts along the way about past and current understandings of medical treatment, back stories on how they came about and the intricate workings of our body systems. Even after listening to this book though and appreciate the fascinating body more, I'll most probably won't change some poor lifestyle habits of too much coffee and consuming fat laden (Cheesecake and croissants) foods.

Insightful and Entertaining

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