Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal is on my wish list of books to read. I like the kinds of questions the book explores such as “why doesn’t the stomach digest itself?” “How much can you eat before your stomach bursts?” Sounds like the kinds of questions I’d delve into on my what if blog.
English: An illustration of the alimentary canal. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
From all the reviews I’ve seen it seems this book is very funny, and in fact the author has been described by the Washington Post as being “America‘s Funniest Science Writer.” Gulp is described as taking readers on a journey through a live stomach where we “observe the fate of a meal.”
Gulp received a 5 star rating by more than 300 reviewers on Amazon and over 100 reviewers gave the book a 4 star rating. In fact back in April this year when Gulp was first published, it was Amazon’s ‘Best Book of the Month’.
I am bearing in mind however, that I might be in for some bits of gory details, as can be expected if one is examining the insides of the stomach, and also just based on some of the reviews. Entertainment Weekly describes the book as being “as engrossing as it is gross.” I think that statement speaks volumes.
The way I imagine the book is summed up in the words of a reviewer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “Never before has the process of eating been so very interesting…. After digesting her book, you can’t help but think about what that really means.” This is exactly the kind of thought process I had when I saw the product review on Amazon. I was thinking how clever and interesting of someone to ask these kinds of philosophical-type and humorous questions concerning the stomach. I’m absolutely looking forward to reading the book and it is on my wish-list for the new year.
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