
The Body
A Guide for Occupants
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Narrated by:
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Bill Bryson
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By:
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Bill Bryson
About this listen
'We spend our whole lives in one body and yet most of us have practically no idea how it works and what goes on inside it. The idea of the book is simply to try to understand the extraordinary contraption that is us.’
In the best-selling, prize-winning A Short History of Nearly Everything Bill Bryson achieved the seemingly impossible by making the science of our world both understandable and entertaining to millions of people around the globe.
Now he turns his attention inwards to explore the human body, how it functions and its remarkable ability to heal itself. Full of extraordinary facts and astonishing stories, The Body: A Guide for Occupants is a brilliant, often very funny attempt to understand the miracle of our physical and neurological makeup.
©2019 Bill Bryson (P)2019 Audible, LtdListeners also enjoyed...
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Editorial reviews
“Between the mysterious, the unexpected, the unknown and the undiscovered The Body: A Guide for Occupants takes us through all the weird and wonderful parts of the human body with humour, historical anecdotes and some truly jaw-dropping facts. Somehow, with all that jam packed in, listening to it still feels like an entertaining coffee with an old friend. I have loved many of Bill Bryson’s books but I think this one may have just jostled its way to the top of my list of favourites. Definitely take a listen if you’ve ever wondered why or how your body does what it does, or, if not, take a listen for the multitude of amazing facts you can pull out at your next awkward dinner party.” (Alex, Audible Editor)
“In this illuminating history of the human form, Bill Bryson presents scientific research in an accessible way, introducing a host of individuals including the world’s first kidney transplant recipient and the Nobel Prize-winning Peter Medawar. Covering everything from sleep to immunity, I came away from listening to the audiobook with a newfound appreciation and respect for my body. A perfect listen for new and existing Bill Bryson fans alike.” (Jess, Audible Editor)
What listeners say about The Body
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- kieron t.
- 08-28-20
Bryson Magic
Another meticulously researched book for anyone who wants to know everything about their body and life. From trauma to disease, with remarkably strange history all narrated with Bryson's characteristic dry wit.
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- Anonymous User
- 04-28-25
Informative as always
Thank you for another great and enlightening listen Bill Bryson. I really enjoy details infused with humour.
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- Josefin Deiving
- 03-28-21
Loverly book with plenty of interesting stories
Loverly book with plenty of interesting stories about the body and the history of medicine. Excellent 👌
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- Louwri
- 12-13-20
Insightful and educational
Great content from the writer that brings us insightful en entertaining content every few years.
Great to learn about everyday thibgs while being intrigued at the same time.
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- C_S
- 06-28-21
Fascinating review of how your body functions
I enjoyed this very much. I learned a lot of basic biology, but also met many interesting characters who influenced medical science. It definitely improved my overall knowledge of how my body functions. Highly recommend.
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- Anonymous User
- 05-28-22
Not just a guide to ocupants
The breath of information packed in the book is, well, breathtaking. Bryson not only provides a full explanation of the body (parts) but also details our past and current (scientific) understanding of it. Although I was a bit disappointing to realize that we still have a long way to know how our own body functions (and dysfunctions), at least now I fell a bit less ignorant.
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- Alberto Simal
- 11-09-19
Sounds tired
Maybe it's me, maybe it's the fact that so much of the information was not new to me, but the book failed to engage me and surprise me like his "A short Story...". He sounded tired, less enthusiastic. It's a good book, nonetheless.
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- Venkat L
- 04-02-21
A must read for every adult
More philosophical than scientific, like any good science book. Everyone should read this book and commit to contemplating after.
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- Chloe S
- 08-10-21
Lovely book
This book is fantastic! Entertaining, interesting and knowledgeable! Kept me gripped the whole way through!
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- Anonymous User
- 07-01-21
I certainly hope you do more Educational Books
I certainly hope you do more Educational Books Bill
My first Educational Audiobook was your Short History of Nearly Everything and I received it as a gift from my UK aunt and uncle and I would listen to it in my car over and over again. and I couldn't wait to listen to any other educational Audio Books you may have. When I found out that you wrote this new one called the Body I had to get it. I normally avoid subscription-based purchases as they lower my monthly income by a set amount but since audible was the only place I could verify had it in their collection I am more than happy to have paid their fee and I have greatly enjoyed this audiobook. I know that you said in one of your interviews that you were planning on slowing do and enjoying your retirement and I wish you all the best in this but if you ever decide to write another book and record it as an audiobook I will gladly buy it.
Kind regards
MR MSR Gannon
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