Becky Libourel Diamond

NonfictionNatureMemoir

My Penguin Year

Review by Becky Libourel Diamond

Few humans get to experience Antarctica, Earth’s most remote and least populated continent. But wildlife cameraman and photographer Lindsay McCrae (BBC’s Alaska: Earth’s Frozen Kingdom) got to be one of the lucky few, recounting both the beauty and harsh conditions of this frigid environment in his enthralling memoir, My Penguin Year.

While staying on Antarctica for 337 days in a fully equipped station with just a handful of other people, McCrae films the complete life cycle of the emperor penguin. As a result, he has a front-row seat to the incredible endurance of an emperor penguin colony, following these fascinating birds through mating, egg-laying, hatching and parenting duties. His year with the emperors means living through both Antarctic summer, with relatively mild temperatures and two months of total sunlight, and the brutal Antarctic winter, with two months of total darkness and temperatures that often dip to minus 50 degrees Celsius.

Spending so much time with the penguins allows McCrae to capture footage that is at times unbelievable and bizarre, as he watches them battle starvation, whiteout blizzard conditions, long journeys, frigid cold and unrelenting winds to ensure the birth of their chicks. And at the same time, McCrae is dealing with his own issues—namely being apart from his new wife, who is pregnant with their first child. He misses this major milestone during his time away, while contending with unforgiving weather conditions to capture footage of the penguins as they, too, become parents.

Ultimately, this year of close calls, extreme cold, loneliness and insomnia is interspersed with amazing sights and sounds, incredible splendor and rarely seen penguin behavior, such as a female emperor laying an egg, the long incubation period handled by the males and the egg hatching. A touching story of courage, survival and persistence, My Penguin Year is a must-read for nature lovers and those who enjoy a stirring memoir.

Few humans get to experience Antarctica, Earth’s most remote and least populated continent. But wildlife cameraman and photographer Lindsay McCrae (BBC’s Alaska: Earth’s Frozen Kingdom) got to be one of the lucky few, recounting both the beauty and harsh conditions of this frigid environment in his…

Nonfiction

The Body

Review by Becky Libourel Diamond

Bill Bryson can take any topic and spool it into the most entertaining thing you’ve ever read. He tackles diverse subjects, from hiking the Appalachian Trail (A Walk in the Woods) to, well—everything (A Short History of Nearly Everything). 

In his latest book, The Body: A Guide for Occupants, Bryson divides the body’s various parts and processes into 23 chapters, with subject headings such as “The Heart and Blood,” “The Guts” and “Nerves and Pain.” Each relatively short chapter is chock-full of clear, in-depth explanations of the body and its components, focusing just the right amount of facts and attention on each area to keep the reader riveted and eager to dive into the next topic. 

As with his previous writings, Bryson demonstrates his gift for putting science in layman’s terms, deftly melding the most incredible statistics with wit to expose humorous and fascinating aspects of the human condition. He relates these nuggets of information to everyday life, such as when he compares a cell to a little room that is “of itself as nonliving as any other room.” Yet when combined with the busy, also nonliving things housed within its walls—such as proteins, DNA and mitochondria—life is created.

Throughout the book, Bryson highlights parts of the human physique that are mysteries even to doctors and scientists. He creatively intertwines amazing medical advances, such as transplant surgery and antibiotics, with topics that are still very much unknown, such as the immune system and allergies. It’s rather humbling to realize that there’s so much we don’t know about the place that houses all of our thoughts, feelings and physical attributes. As Bryson so effectively conveys in The Body, we truly are a work in progress. 

Bill Bryson can take any topic and spool it into the most entertaining thing you’ve ever read. He tackles diverse subjects, from hiking the Appalachian Trail (A Walk in the Woods) to, well—everything (A Short History of Nearly Everything). 

In his latest book,…

NonfictionSocial SciencePop Culture

The Day It Finally Happens

Review by Becky Libourel Diamond

Humans have always been privy to threats to our existence and livelihood. These have evolved along with us, especially as our population and technology continue to advance at breakneck speeds. But what are the chances of these ominous scenarios actually happening? Journalist Mike Pearl, author of the Vice column “How Scared Should I Be?” ventures into this uncertain future in his debut, The Day It Finally Happens: Alien Contact, Dinosaur Parks, Immortal Humans—and Other Possible Phenomena.

Composed of 19 different scenarios/chapters, Pearl assigns each a plausibility rating, the likelihood of it occurring in this century, its scariness factor and whether it’s worth us changing our habits. Some have been contemplated for years, such as “The Day Nuclear Bombs Kill Us All” and “The Day Humans Become Immortal.” But others are more recent and perhaps even surprising, such as “The Day a Tech Billionaire Takes Over the World” and “The Day the Last Cemetery Runs Out of Space.” Many are scary, but some are actually promising, such as “The Day the Last Slave Goes Free.”

Incorporating mind-boggling statistics and expert commentary, Pearl touches on a variety of industries and life aspects, including politics, ethics, science, medicine and technology. As a result, his forecasts are explained with knowledge, opinion and a sprinkling of humor, such as the “hmm . . .” moment in the chapter about alien contact where he muses, “Funnily enough, contact with intelligent extraterrestrials is one of the more plausible topics in this book.”

Luckily not all is gloom and doom. Scientific evidence tells us that humanity will not be the same forever, and Pearl assures us that we wouldn’t want that anyway. We can take comfort in the fact that it’s a slow process and that “new species, in a way, ‘replace’ older ones.” He acknowledges that the book’s idea was born out of his own mounting anxieties and even suggests that writing about these predictions is therapeutic. As the author puts it, “Envisioning future possibilities in a sensible, fact-based way is a helpful habit that leads to clearer thinking.” Ultimately, The Day It Finally Happens is an exercise in light-hearted but crystal-clear thinking.

Humans have always been privy to threats to our existence and livelihood. These have evolved along with us, especially as our population and technology continue to advance at breakneck speeds. But what are the chances of these ominous scenarios actually happening? Journalist Mike Pearl, author…

NonfictionNature

Inconspicuous Consumption

Review by Becky Libourel Diamond

We are inundated daily with reports about the devastating effects climate change is wreaking on the planet. Just when we thought we had heard it all, former New York Times science writer Tatiana Schlossberg brings new issues to the forefront in her debut book, Inconspicuous Consumption: The Environmental Impact You Don’t Know You Have, outlining how our individual habits and the products we use play a significant role in the changing climate. 

Schlossberg’s investigative reporting skills are a huge asset in explaining how we got to this point, why it matters and what we can do about it. Full disclosure: She does not paint a pretty picture. The detailed scientific evidence and statistics she uncovers are mind-boggling and very scary, particularly the complexity of the consumer impact on the environment and how swiftly it’s altering our world. But she does her best to lighten the mood by mixing these cold, hard facts with witty prose.

She breaks the book down into four main sections of human consumption: technology and the internet, food, fashion and fuel. Most folks have heard about how food and fuel contribute to climate change, but technology and fashion are lesser-known culprits. The reasons behind the environmental footprint of these two industries are eye-opening, such as the enormous quantities of water required to grow cotton to make our jeans and the huge amount of power wasted by devices in off, standby and sleep mode (equivalent to a quarter of all residential energy, as per one study).

As pointed out by Schlossberg, what it boils down to is that many of our daily activities are “much more connected to each other, to global climate change, and to each one of us than we think.” Although she offers suggestions for many of the pressing issues, she admits that our ripple effect on climate change is confusing and that “it’s really hard to know the right thing to do.” As we continue to push the Earth to its limits, Inconspicuous Consumption is a call to action for our future success and survival.

We are inundated daily with reports about the devastating effects climate change is wreaking on the planet. Just when we thought we had heard it all, former New York Times science writer Tatiana Schlossberg brings new issues to the forefront in her debut book, Inconspicuous…

NonfictionNature

Strange Harvests

Review by Becky Libourel Diamond

Natural objects have fascinated, nourished, clothed and even healed people since the dawn of humanity. But as nature writer Edward Posnett points out in his debut, Strange Harvests, some of these extraordinary items are more enthralling than others.

In this unique curio cabinet of a book, Posnett discusses seven little-known natural wonders: eiderdown, edible bird’s nests, civet coffee, sea silk, vicuña fiber, tagua and guano. Many of these objects have been used and loved by humans for centuries, although some are “newer” than others—such as civet coffee, made from coffee beans digested and expelled by a catlike creature in Southeast Asia. 

Posnett’s fascination is evident as he unearths the backstories of these natural objects, comparing and contrasting their similarities and differences. Crisscrossing the globe, he visits the geographical residence of each object, meeting with people who have expert knowledge about cultivating, harvesting and utilizing it. 

One theme that runs throughout this book is exploitation—the exploitation that takes place whether you’re making luxury items such as fluffy eiderdown quilts or jackets from fine sea silk or vicuña fiber, or you’re harvesting the nests of certain birds to satisfy the huge market for this delicacy. Humans want these things and will jump through hoops to gather, curate and manufacture them into the desired end products for their consumption. But since they all come from nature, this comes at a price. Supplies are limited, and harvesting them can be detrimental to the animals or plants that provide them and to their environments. 

However, some items, such as tagua (a nut from a South American palm used to make buttons) and guano (bird droppings used as fertilizer), were eclipsed by postwar technology but are making a comeback because of their sustainability potential. This is the takeaway from Strange Harvests: How can we best use the natural resources we covet without exploiting them and damaging the earth? 

In this unique curio cabinet of a book, Posnett discusses seven little-known natural wonders: eiderdown, edible bird’s nests, civet coffee, sea silk, vicuña fiber, tagua and guano. Many of these objects have been used and loved by humans for centuries, although some are “newer” than others—such as civet coffee, made from coffee beans digested and expelled by a catlike creature in Southeast Asia. 

NonfictionFood & Drink

The Truffle Underground

Review by Becky Libourel Diamond

Murder. Fraud. Poison. These are words typically associated with a suspenseful mystery novel, not an edible fungus. But in his riveting debut, The Truffle Underground, Pacific Standard deputy editor Ryan Jacobs weaves the fascinating scientific and historical backstory of the elusive culinary delicacy known as truffles with the stealthy feel of a diamond heist or spy operation. 

Truffles are one of the most revered wonders of the gastronomic world. Although they’re found all over the globe, it’s the black winter variety, also known as black diamond or black pearl, that is especially rare, lusted after by thieves as much as valuable jewelry. The French countryside is one of their richest places of origin, nestled within the roots of oak and hazelnut trees in the Périgord region. Jacobs’ years covering international crime as an investigative reporter translate perfectly, as he drills down into the inner workings of the truffle underground. 

Jacobs follows the truffle from spore to plate, a journey “fraught with so much biological uncertainty, human competition, and logistical headaches that a single shaving could be understood as a testament to the wonder of human civilization.” His in-depth research not only focuses on the present day but also covers how truffle farming came to be so secretive, exclusive and competitive. It’s an uncertain process that requires specific conditions and timing, made all the more difficult by today’s changing climate. And when truffles do form, their appearance is random, unearthed by specially trained dogs with the keenest of scent glands. 

Truffle thieves are aware of all these factors and run their operations accordingly. Jacobs discusses the intricate details of this corruption, from the young recruits, middlemen and fraudsters to the detectives, law enforcement officials and restaurant owners who badly need this gastronomic gold to stay competitive. The Truffle Underground is an eye-opening tale that brings to light the fact that food items can be just as valuable as any other goods, especially when harvests are uncertain. As fittingly noted by Jacobs, “It’s a medieval undertaking in a smartphone world.”

Truffles are one of the most revered wonders of the gastronomic world. Although they’re found all over the globe, it’s the black winter variety, also known as black diamond or black pearl, that is especially rare, lusted after by thieves as much as valuable jewelry. The French countryside is one of their richest places of origin, nestled within the roots of oak and hazelnut trees in the Périgord region. Jacobs’ years covering international crime as an investigative reporter translate perfectly, as he drills down into the inner workings of the truffle underground. 

Nonfiction

Slime

Review by Becky Libourel Diamond

What pops into your mind when you hear the word algae? This is the question posed by author Ruth Kassinger (Paradise Under Glass) in her latest book, Slime: How Algae Created Us, Plague Us, and Just Might Save Us. 

If you’re like most people, it will conjure up images of icky green goo, pond scum or seaweed. But Kassinger will change your mind, taking an obscure topic that might seem boring, perhaps even gross, and making it fascinating and relevant. In her exhaustive research of the slimy microorganism, she crisscrosses the globe, interviewing people from all walks of life who have knowledge of and experience with algae, including phycologists (scientists who study algae), algae farmers, scuba instructors and even culinary experts. As Kassinger finds unique nuggets within algae’s backstory and possible future, she unravels amazing, microscopic details of this vital resource.

Going way back to the single-celled organisms of Earth’s early days, she explains first how they evolved into microalgae and then how they eventually formed multicelled macroalgae, which made the jump to land-based fungi and lichen. But where it gets really interesting is her detailed explanation of the large role algae played in the complicated, multistep process of human evolution, supplementing our ancestors’ diets with iodine and the omega-3 oil DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), both essential ingredients for developing larger brains. And it has continued to serve as a nutritious food source for many cultures ever since.

Kassinger describes these and the dozens of other diverse uses for algae (some still in discovery stages), including medicine, sunscreen, toothpaste, paint, dynamite, running shoes, plastics and even fuel. However, she warns against taking this natural wonder for granted. Warming oceans and fertilizer and manure runoff from farms lead to algal blooms—toxic dead zones “unable to sustain marine life.”

Kassinger has penned a wondrous story of this multifaceted, often misunderstood microorganism whose existence is vital to our own. Algae’s numerous uses, benefits and even its potential harm provide a wake-up call for humanity to find more ecological solutions to reverse climate change and help support our growing population. As Kassinger writes, “Algae. They created us, sustain us, and if we’re clever and wise, they can help save us.”

 

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Read Ruth Kassinger’s top 12 most interesting slime facts.

What pops into your mind when you hear the word algae? This is the question posed by author Ruth Kassinger (Paradise Under Glass) in her latest book, Slime: How Algae Created Us, Plague Us, and Just Might Save Us. 

NonfictionMemoir

Rough Magic

Review by Becky Libourel Diamond

Racing across the Mongolian desert in a pony express-style horse race isn’t a challenge many folks would choose to tackle. But when British 19-year-old Lara Prior-Palmer stumbles across a website detailing this very thing, she impulsively decides to throw her hat in the ring.

The result is Rough Magic: Riding the World’s Loneliest Horse Race, a stunning debut memoir detailing Prior-Palmer’s journey entering, competing in and ultimately winning the Mongol Derby, often dubbed “the world’s longest, toughest horse race.” It’s an extremely demanding test, not for the weak-spirited, requiring riders to change steeds 25 times through 14 different microclimates. In witty, open and revealing prose, Prior-Palmer details a slew of obstacles—from searing heat and pelting rain to food poisoning, uncooperative ponies and, most importantly, a lack of experience and preparation.

Her tale could be pulled from the pages of a Hollywood script, with its sweeping, scenic descriptions of the Mongolian steppe and the allies and fierce competitors who emerge among the unique cast of characters (like the skilled and highly trained Texan rider Devan, with her striking American accent and corporate sponsorships). In spite of being an amateur navigator and rider, who didn’t even bring enough food or clothing, Prior-Palmer makes her way with true grit and determination.

And we passionately cheer her on, especially when she muses that the race is “a live show of humans slowly falling to pieces.” Against all odds, she wins, becoming the first woman and youngest person ever to do so.

The ride is a learning experience for Prior-Palmer, one that helps her overcome fears of fleeing and teaches her to tap into her gut to make her way. As she says once she’s gotten her stride, “The race has got me going so fast I’ve lost hold of my ducking-out technique.” Rough Magic is a true page-turner, told in gorgeous, descriptive prose that readers will tear through like the ponies racing across the plain.

Racing across the Mongolian desert in a pony express-style horse race isn’t a challenge many folks would choose to tackle. But when British 19-year-old Lara Prior-Palmer stumbles across a website detailing this very thing, she impulsively decides to throw her hat in the ring.

Nonfiction

Humanimal

Review by Becky Libourel Diamond

Humans typically think of themselves as exceptional—the top of the food chain, above all other creatures on earth. But what does it really mean to be human? And are we really more unique than other animals? These are the questions tackled by science writer Adam Rutherford (A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived) in his latest book, Humanimal: How Homo sapiens Became Nature’s Most Paradoxical Creature.

Incorporating the latest genetic research with data gathered from other scientific fields including anthropology, molecular biology and ecology, Rutherford’s detailed book is fascinating and even enlightening, such as his revelation that a tidied-up Homo sapiens individual from 200,000 years ago would not look out of place today. Who knew? He discusses how culture has changed, not DNA, and writes about the different types of humanoids that were the basis for our current existence.

The book is divided into two parts. The first compares and contrasts humans and other animals, with one section devoted to the tools we use and the other to our sex lives. He explains the various neurological factors that set humans apart intellectually and provides some mind-blowing sexual statistics, such as: “Out of every thousand sexual acts that could result in a baby, only one actually does.” The second part explains why we are different from other animals, covering topics that range from recent genetic discoveries to cognitive development and sensory perception.

Rutherford writes with clarity, authority and humor. His research is thorough and so current that most readers will be wowed by all the new information he provides. It’s both humbling and reassuring to know that “all life on Earth is related by common ancestry, and that includes us.” And as Rutherford states, “the picture of how we came to be is only going to get more complicated as we continue to discover.” If that’s the case, I can’t wait to see what’s uncovered next.

Humans typically think of themselves as exceptional—the top of the food chain, above all other creatures on earth. But what does it really mean to be human? And are we really more unique than other animals? These are the questions tackled by science writer Adam Rutherford (A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived) in his latest book, Humanimal: How Homo sapiens Became Nature’s Most Paradoxical Creature.

NonfictionHistory

Sea People

Review by Becky Libourel Diamond

The isolated islands of the Polynesian Triangle have been a source of fascination since European explorers first sailed into their harbors in the 16th century and discovered thriving communities previously unknown to the rest of the world. But much of their lore still remains a mystery. Where did these people come from, when did they arrive, and how on earth did they manage to traverse the mighty Pacific and settle these remote locales?

In Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia, Harvard Review editor Christina Thompson weaves together history, science, folklore and the islands’ ancient oral traditions, archeology and genealogy, creating a mesmerizing, page-turning account of Polynesia. Thompson includes an intriguing cast of characters ranging from Captain James Cook and Tupaia, the Tahitian navigator he befriended, to modern explorers such as anthropologist Ben Finney and his Micronesian master navigator, Mau Piailug, who together sailed from Maui to Tahiti in 1976 in a traditional 60-foot canoe using only ancient navigation tools to prove it could be done.  

Thompson’s personal interest in the subject was piqued by her Maori husband and sons, who are direct descendants of Polynesians. This deep curiosity shines through in the meticulous background and details she provides such as diary entries, maps, Polynesian chronologies, geological topographies and weather patterns. 

While much of the Polynesian puzzle is still a mystery (and may never be completely solved), Thompson’s book sheds light on a fascinating region. Sea People is a revelatory summation of this vast area steeped in culture and tradition.

In Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia, Harvard Review editor Christina Thompson weaves together history, science, folklore and the islands’ ancient oral traditions, archeology and genealogy, creating a mesmerizing, page-turning account of Polynesia.

Nonfiction

Zucked

Review by Becky Libourel Diamond

When the possibility of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election began to surface, the methodology of Facebook and other technology platforms became increasingly scrutinized. Then political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica admitted in March 2018 to exploiting Facebook to harvest millions of user profiles, causing people to really sit up and take notice.

In Zucked, venture capitalist and technology investor Roger McNamee (The New Normal) informatively outlines his concerns regarding Facebook privacy and information-sharing policies, and its contribution to political polarization. He contends that although advertising’s use of information-gathering techniques have been preying on our human vulnerabilities for years, algorithms and artificial intelligence bring them to a new level, enabling internet platforms like Facebook to “manipulate attention.”

Drawing on his years as a Silicon Valley insider, McNamee provides a fascinating background of the tech industry, explaining concepts such as Moore’s Law, metadata and cloud sharing services. An early advisor to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, he authoritatively explains the route to Facebook’s success and how pathways opened up for the social media platform to become such a phenomenon.

He expresses his fear that internet platforms empower extreme views, leading to the creation of “preference bubbles,” giving each user his or her own reality. He describes the examples that led him to this conclusion and his path to activism, including meeting with senators, contacting the media and confronting Facebook executives directly. He discusses the need for regulatory oversight in order “to protect privacy and to limit the scope of data collection and artificial intelligence.”

The result is a nonfiction book that reads like a thriller, particularly since the story is still unraveling in real time. As McNamee points out, “Facebook has managed to connect 2.2 billion people and drive them apart at the same time.” Hopefully the readers of Zucked will think about McNamee’s suggestion to “bring people together in the real world” as a remedy for internet platform addiction.

When the possibility of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election began to surface, the methodology of Facebook and other technology platforms became increasingly scrutinized. Then political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica admitted in March 2018 to exploiting Facebook to harvest millions of user profiles, causing people to really sit up and take notice.

NonfictionNatureAnimals

Dreaming in Turtle

Review by Becky Libourel Diamond

BookPage Top Pick in Nonfiction, December 2018

Most people only know a few basic facts about turtles: They are slow-moving, egg-laying, cold-blooded reptiles. Yet as journalist Peter Laufer (The Dangerous World of Butterflies) notes in his new book, Dreaming in Turtle, “everybody has a turtle story.”

Laufer focuses on a variety of these stories, making connections in a voice that is both engaging and scientific. Structured as a series of vignettes, this eclectic, informative book touches on a huge number of turtle species and their habitats, ranging from desert tortoises in the southwestern U.S. to olive ridley sea turtles in Gabon, Africa, and a Yunnan box turtle breeding project in China. His thorough reporting features interviews with people as widely diverse as herpetologists, conservationists, pet owners and even turtle poachers and smugglers. This colorful dialogue is interspersed with illustrative facts and statistics, while humorous stories involving Laufer’s own pet turtle, Fred, provide comic relief.

Laufer explains that for millennia, turtles have been trapped, fished and hunted, as they are revered in many cultures for their purported medicinal value, such as the belief that turtle eggs and meat heighten sexual performance and satisfaction. Others prize flavorful turtle meat not only for the taste but also for the “perceived exclusivity and conspicuous consumerism.” This concept also applies to the use of turtle to make pretty things such as tortoiseshell combs and jewelry and the smuggling of turtles to sell as expensive pets to collectors of the exotic.

Unfortunately, as Laufer finds, the general public isn’t typically concerned with these “mysterious, cold animals” and the threat of extinction they face due to man-made circumstances such as habitat loss, pollution, climate change and illegal trafficking. Turtles just don’t receive the same level of attention as cute and cuddly species like pandas. But after reading the enlightening and well-researched Dreaming in Turtle, hopefully more people will be moved to sit up and take notice of the importance and allure of these fascinating creatures.

 

This article was originally published in the December 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Most people only know a few basic facts about turtles: They are slow-moving, egg-laying, cold-blooded reptiles. Yet as journalist Peter Laufer (The Dangerous World of Butterflies) notes in his new book, Dreaming in Turtle, “everybody has a turtle story.”

NonfictionMedicine

Nine Pints

Review by Becky Libourel Diamond

The sight of blood makes some people faint; for others, it’s just creepy. Yet it is essential—each adult human contains approximately nine pints of it. In her new book, Nine Pints, Rose George (The Big Necessity) discusses this life-giving substance in intricate detail.

George describes the busy, unrelenting job of this essential human body part that is “a tissue and an organ at once, and probably our most important organ.” She travels around the world, interviewing people whose lives have been impacted by blood in one way or another. She reports on a clinic in South Africa where residents can get tested and treated for HIV, a village in western Nepal where menstruating girls are shunned and must sleep in outdoor shacks, and a London trauma center that regularly treats code red (open chest) and code black (people with severe brain injury) patients.

Integrated in this narrative are a dizzying number of scientific facts and statistics, yet it is all very readable as George applies familiar comparisons. For example, when describing the job of helper T-cells (a type of white blood cell), she writes, “If the immune system were Star Wars, helper Ts would be the Force: they guide other white blood cells to attack invaders and threats.” Her use of statistics, such as the 12,000-mile journey traveled by each person’s red blood cells every day, helps give the reader perspective.

George tackles a squeamish subject in a manner that is eloquent and witty, making Nine Pints a factual, scientific book that reads like a novel with a colorful cast of characters ranging from medicinal leeches to groundbreaking scientists and innovative inventors.

This fascinating book will appeal to anyone interested in learning more about blood and its role as a wondrous, renewable human resource.

The sight of blood makes some people faint; for others it’s just creepy. Yet it is essential—each adult human contains approximately nine pints of it. In her new book, Nine Pints, Rose George discusses this life-giving substance in intricate detail.

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