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

Mary Roach is so funny!

Any additional comments?

I truly enjoy Ms. Roach's writing. I learn something, I giggle (bovine malfeasance!) and truly enjoy my morning commute. She tackles icky subjects with a sense of humor, and makes a boring subject something to enjoy. Thanks, Mary! That part about Elvis was news to me!

Really Good - Wish it had been great

I've now listened to everything available from Mary Roach.

"Stiff" was her best, and truly will be hard to beat. I consistently found myself thinking, "I can't believe I'm reading this given the subject matter, but it is perhaps the most interesting book I've encountered in a very long time."

"Bonk" and "Packing for Mars" were interesting, but didn't rise to the same level as "Stiff." Stiff makes you uncomfortable in a Mary Roach kinda way. Bonk and Packing for Mars included some stuff that would make an 8th grader blush, but Ms. Roach didn't roll it out in a way that induced the same "squirm factor" as Stiff.

"Spook" ripped apart the paranormal, which was rather fun; however, if the standard for Mary Roach is to deliver insight into that which really exists, the subject matter ("matter" being used liberally here) was, well, ephemeral.

So along comes "Gulp." Nicely researched. Cleverly written. Some splendid segments.

But, therein lies the problem. Gulp felt as if it was written quickly. The several splendid segments make it clear that this could have been as good as, if not better than, "Stiff."

Instead, the text felt a little formulaic, with tons of research and personal experience simply linked together with witty/clever transitional language. Thoughtful editing could have made this book extraordinary.

That said, this may well be Ms. Roach's second best book. The research is really, really good - moving into (and sometimes out of) some deep dark corners, making this a really fun read.

Content delicious. Performance nauseous.

What disappointed you about Gulp?

Mary Roach delivers a compelling trek down the gullet. Humor and insight backed by smarts and wit. Unfortunately, Emily Woo Zeller's reading doesn't cut the mustard. I'm sure she has many talents... voice over work isn't one of them.

What did you like best about this story?

Truly enjoyed the rock solid scientific approach to snacks, meals and sips. From initial olfactory sniff to the solids, liquids and gases expelled by our body... Mary nailed the digestive tract.

How could the performance have been better?

I'm a peaceful person. Open doors for strangers, spare change to the homeless, patchouli. Unfortunately, Emily Woo Zeller's picture book reading of otherwise compelling content has drove me to the dark side. Animal sacrifice, heavy metal music, spontaneous purchases on the Home Shopping Network. Awful. (Really... it was the worst reading I've ever experienced).

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Loved the content. However, Emily Woo Zeller's reading was akin to having my skin peeled off by a Bon Jovi fan.

Any additional comments?

If you have a heart, please don't let Emily Woo Zeller do any more readings.

too much extraneous fill in for humor

a bizarre discussion of ancient remedies that have been already discarded. I've liked her other books better

Glad it’s over

I love every book I have listened to by Mary Roach... except this one. This book was so boring and it seemed like Roach was trying too hard to make it funny (which it wasn’t). Her other books are SO good, but this book doesn’t compare. The narration was okay, but I just don’t think it was for me. Her voice was too high and made listening unenjoyable.

entertaining non-fiction

I love the author's sense of humor. And she squeezes every bit of humor out of this subject while still conveying the relevant facts. I can't wait to see what subject she tackles next.

Mary Roach does it again

Let's address the elephant in the room first: this isn't quite as good as Stiff -- but that's setting a high bar; I enjoyed Stiff immensely! Gulp was very good. Like Stiff, the chapters are quick and focused. Something I've learned is incredibly important for books like this: narration. The tone and delivery are nearly as important as the message itself and this narrator nails it. I can't wait to hear more read by her.

Up Yours!!

I spent 40 yrs. as an RN 21 of which working in a gastroenterology clinic. Before that I was a surveyor/draftsman laying sewer for a municipality. I'd had formal education in both practices. Mary Roach is the first person I've met who has matched my enthusiasm for all things alimentary. I've performed over 10 K sigmoidoscopy exams over a seven year period as well as assisting in thousands of colonoscopies and esophageal endoscopies. Mary writes in a knowledgeable way with references and sitings about the myriad of minutia that populate all we know about how we survive by eating. I found she referenced more interesting facts than I had run into over years in the business. AND her words make you giggle. If you are not squeamish in the least or if you are an MD specializing in Gastroenterology you need to read this book... It will increase your chances of getting invited back for a second dinner party. After all my years as a nurse the best time I've had is telling people it's OK to fart, usually 15-20 times a day... Long Live the Food Pipe.

Gross and glorious as always

I absolutely love Mary Roach and her writing! This is the first book of hers I've read as an audiobook and I wonder if any footnotes were left out as a result. It was funny and educational and witty and pretty disgusting in a few key chapters (basically anything below the small intestine!), enough that I wished I weren't listening right after eating dinner... But I loved every minute of it!
It might not be my favorite Mary Roach book ever (Stiff), but it's still a great read and expertly narrated.

Entertaining and informative

You can't go wrong with Mary Roach's books. As always, entertaining and informative, going into everything from fecal matter transplants, to the possibility of someone surviving after being swallowed by a whale or fish (short answer: no) and other matters related to end-to-end digestion.