Gulp

Adventures on the Alimentary Canal

By: Mary Roach

Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller

Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

Best-selling author Mary Roach returns with a new adventure to the invisible realm we carry around inside. Roach takes us down the hatch on an unforgettable tour.

The alimentary canal is classic Mary Roach terrain: The questions explored in Gulp are as taboo, in their way, as the cadavers in Stiff and every bit as surreal as the universe of zero gravity explored in Packing for Mars. Why is crunchy food so appealing? Why is it so hard to find words for flavors and smells? Why doesn’t the stomach digest itself? How much can you eat before your stomach bursts? Can constipation kill you? Did it kill Elvis?

In Gulp we meet scientists who tackle the questions no one else thinks of - or has the courage to ask. We go on location to a pet-food taste-test lab, a fecal transplant, and into a live stomach to observe the fate of a meal. With Roach as our guide, we travel the world, meeting murderers and mad scientists, Eskimos and exorcists (who have occasionally administered holy water rectally), rabbis and terrorists - who, it turns out, for practical reasons do not conceal bombs in their digestive tracts. Like all of Roach’s books, Gulp is as much about human beings as it is about human bodies.

©2013 Mary Roach (P)2013 Tantor

A Great Adventure

Mary Roach has an unabashed and humorous approach to topics of random intrigue. I have loved all of her books!

Everything you never knew you wanted to know

If you could sum up Gulp in three words, what would they be?

Fascinating. Silly. Gross.

Would you recommend Gulp to your friends? Why or why not?

Yes. Mary Roach makes science exciting and humorous.

What about Emily Woo Zeller’s performance did you like?

Narrator matches the story- great delivery of sarcasm.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

This book is dense at certain parts. I found my mind wandering a few times.

Fascinating

Any additional comments?

This book was little disgusting, quite graphic at times, thought provoking and utterly fascinating. I enjoyed it immensely. It will give you insight into some concepts you may have never considered before. Highly recommended. I gave the narration four stars, only because the speaker had a habit of including inflections that made it sound like she was laughing at her own joke. It sounds trivial, but it was very distracting.

Interesting

I loved this book Ive read her books before and enjoy the format she uses. I always feel ive learned something at the end of each chapter. The writing was engaging and i found myself listning to it far more often than i expected.
the naration was unimposung and i did not struggle to hear what she was saying at any point.

Gulp

Great book. Really funny and easy to listen to anywhere. Want to read more of her books.

Fun and Informative

Honestly the title to my review says it all. Gulp is an interesting look at something we don’t often think about and the world surrounding it, and Emily Woo Zeller does an amazing job bringing it to life.

Emily Zeller, great reader.

Love Roach's books. This book us worth listening to over reading. Zeller does a fantastic job reading.

Not bad

An informative and enthusiastically written/read pop science book, but heavier on pop and lighter on science than I would have preferred.

Fascinating and exciting

A real joy, learning and fun in one. I'm happy I've bought another two of her books so I'm not shaking with withdrawal quite yet

I am a gastroenterologist and loved this book

I am a gastroenterologist, in practice for over 15 years. Having thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook version of Stiff, I decided to give Gulp a whirl. What a delight! Her mix of science and whimsy once again had me engaged from start to finish. Great job!