Bill Bryson, bestselling 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 compulsively readable as it is comprehensive, this is Bryson at his very best, a must-read 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 readable facts and information. **

Review

Advance Praise for The Body

"[Bryson] describes the often bewildering mystery of diseases, the science of pain, and the advances made in medical treatment, all with care and concern. Bryson's tone is both informative and inviting, encouraging the reader, throughout this exemplary work, to share the sense of wonder he expresses at how the body is constituted and what it is capable of." — Publishers Weekly , starred review 

"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 

"A congeries of anecdotes, skillfully strung. . . . As ever, the author collects lovely oddments and presents them as so many glittering marbles. . . . A pleasing, entertaining sojourn into the realm of what makes us tick." — Kirkus 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

"Every page is dense with scientific facts written as vividly as a thriller." — The Daily Mail **

Praise for the books of Bill Bryson**

"Bryson is fascinated by everything, and his curiosity is infectious." — The New York Times Book Review

"[Bryson] has a talent for genial, absorbing explanation. He is enthralled by what he has discovered and delighted to share his researches. . . . He is a cheery, idiosyncratic guide, eclectic rather than scholarly, a true populariser." — Financial Times

"The truly great thing about Bryson is that he really cares and is insanely curious. . . . Reading his work is like going on holiday with the members of Monty Python." — Mashable

"[Bryson] reminds me of one of those wonderful teachers whose passion for his subject transfers itself to the student. You retain a sense of enthusiasm and excitement long after you've forgotten the precise details." — San Francisco Chronicle

"[Bryson's] books answer the questions that have always, or maybe never, been rustling at the back of your brain." — The Washington Post

"Reading Bill Bryson is . . . a blast, a constant jaw-dropping trip into the odd corners of almost everything." — The Dallas Morning News

"Bryson could more or less pen a 300-pager about a trip to the supermarket and it would zing with brilliance. . . . He is simply magnificent company for every step of the way." — Irish Independent

About the Author

BILL BRYSON's bestselling books include  A Walk in the Woods, Notes from a Small Island, I'm A Stranger Here Myself, In a Sunburned Country, A Short History of Nearly Everything  (which earned him the 2004 Aventis Prize),  The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, At Home,  and  One Summer. He lives in England with his wife.