The Body

A Guide for Occupants

By: Bill Bryson

Narrated by: Bill Bryson

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

Critic reviews

"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)

Should be required reading for all medical students

This book is so good, it should be a recommendation for all incoming medical students. As a surgeon who finished medical school 35 years ago, I really enjoyed this However his presentation is so “Bryson-esque” that non medical people will also love it Bryson can tell. Story like no one else.

Great body research

Comprehensive knowledge about the human body, the author done he’s researching properly.
And yet for me was a bit too long.
Recommending to listen 1.3x.

Thoroughly enjoyable and an education as a bonus!

Well, Bill Bryson has done it again! This book moves into my top-ten list and I'd easily give it a higher than 5-star rating. Highly recommended!
So why the superb rating? First, I enjoyed it to the point where I'd reread it sometime soon. Bryson's writing style is relaxed, humorous, and extremely easy to follow. Second, I learned a LOT, and his tendency to explore immensely interesting bunny trails contributes mightily to the enjoyment. He never takes himself too seriously. I feel like he is a "reader's author". In other words, he makes great effort to make his books page-turners for the average reader like me.
I won't summarize the book, you can get that from the jacket. Just be prepared to laugh while you learn an amazing amount - read "The Body" by Bill Bryson.

Understand Your Body and Your Health

Bryson takes his concept from ‘A Short History of Nearly Everything’ and applies it to the human body. Brilliant, funny, and, most importantly, accessible to the laymen. This book is a great investment and should stay on your families shelf for many, many years.

Academic but General enough to be accessible

Once the second chapter occured, I was hooked. This is the kind of audiobook that has replay value, can be a lanching pad for further investigation, yet still be background noise.

Bill Bryson Excellence

As usual. His books are always better when read by the author. I've been a fan since a Brief History of Time.

as usual hilarious!

I love Bill Bryson, I think that he is a very witty writer. I would recommend this book to everyone.

Love it

Any book from Bill Bryson I love! This is an amazing picture of the human body. 10+

Absolutely wonderful!

The Body is an excellent read! I learned so much and having the author read was a really nice addition!

Another exceptional Bryson book!!!

Another exceptional Bryson book!!! Well researched. Good writing and wonderful reading. Looking forward to the next one!