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Jim's Reviews > Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal
Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal
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I'm considering giving up on this book even though the topic is interesting. If only Mary Roach could restrain herself from quite so much levity. The jokes, asides, and snarky personal observations come on strong. They're constant, unrelenting, (somehwhat geeky humor) and are a distraction from otherwise fascinating material.
Her research is impressive and I appreciate her trying to make it not dry and clinical, but she goes overboard. Why do I care how pretty the scientists are, what they're wearing, or how the room is furnished? She has a rambling style and includes lots of irrelevant details, along with puns, apologies for the puns, and so many little wink-wink, nudge-nudge passages that it verges on dumbing down.
It's kind of like those PBS science shows about the complexities of the universe or time travel - or a Michael Moore documentary - where they incoporate lots of cartoons, sound effects, and nerdy jokes to lighten it up and make it more accessible to teens. A little of that goes a long way, however. I wouldn't care for dry medical journal reporting either, but it does a disservice to push it quite this far in the clownish direction.
Her research is impressive and I appreciate her trying to make it not dry and clinical, but she goes overboard. Why do I care how pretty the scientists are, what they're wearing, or how the room is furnished? She has a rambling style and includes lots of irrelevant details, along with puns, apologies for the puns, and so many little wink-wink, nudge-nudge passages that it verges on dumbing down.
It's kind of like those PBS science shows about the complexities of the universe or time travel - or a Michael Moore documentary - where they incoporate lots of cartoons, sound effects, and nerdy jokes to lighten it up and make it more accessible to teens. A little of that goes a long way, however. I wouldn't care for dry medical journal reporting either, but it does a disservice to push it quite this far in the clownish direction.
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Gulp.
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Reading Progress
August 25, 2013
–
Started Reading
August 25, 2013
– Shelved
May 13, 2014
– Shelved as:
laid-aside
May 18, 2020
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Started Reading
May 18, 2020
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Finished Reading
May 18, 2020
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-15 of 15 (15 new)
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Cecily
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Aug 28, 2013 02:12PM
Don't the title and cover hint at the degree of levity you might find inside?
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Hi Cecily - Yes they do. I was expecting a lighthearted and approachable treatment of the subject, and I'd heard a couple of good interviews with her about it, but in the book the jokes are so constant and heavy handed it's distracting.
Ah, I understand what you mean. What a shame.
I was hesitating to give my rating if two stars, but your assessment is pitch perfect. I had to stop reading the notes on each page.
Thanks Jannelle. I think we're in the minority here. Everybody seems to love it.
I agree with you too, Jim.
I just wrote my two-star review and you said exactly what I was thinking. Have you read Dianne Ackerman's, "A Natural History of the Senses?" Another good read is Ann Hodgman's short essay, "No Wonder They Call Me A Bitch." I read it thirty years ago and it's stuck with me all this time.
Thank you, Shawn. It's always fun to find like-minded reviews out there. I'll check out your recommendations :)
aww. i do like the book but yeah very true. thanks for making me realize that i expected better, maybe especially from the footnotes.
I usually love Roach's books but I was disappointed in this one for the same reasons you mention - there are too many asides and joking around. Her other books - Stiff, Bonk, and Spook - are more restrained and make for much better reading.
I forgot to mention that her new book, Grunt, is more along the lines of her better books.
Good to know:) Always interesting topics with her so I will check them out. Thx for the recommendation.
Your review is spot on! I almost gave up on this book. After a while I started wondering if what she was writing was researched fact or speculation.
Your review perfectly captures my problems with the tone of this book. The topic is fascinating, but there are so much groaning wit. Too gilded.
Yes this is exactly how I felt about this book - spot on!
